Relictus
by The Five
Summary: Nikola keeps a journal. Post "Hollow Men"
1. Day 1

**_Title: _**_Relictus_

_**Summary: **Nikola keeps a journal. Post "Hollow Men"  
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_**Notes: **Spoiler warnings. I don't own Sanctuary. Okay so a weird story this but I found this Tesla handwriting font online and I downloaded it because it was so cool and then I had to do something with it so I started writing a journal from his point of view post "Hollow Men." Obviously you don't get to see it in his handwriting but that's where I got this idea from in case anyone was wondering and the title, for anyone who hasn't gotten bored and stopped reading already, is Latin for "Left Behind" but a title no one knows the meaning of sounds way cooler.  
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**Day 1:**

**I know how uncharacteristically odd of me it is to be a keeping a "journal" but I really need somewhere to vent my thoughts and doing that aloud just gets me a weird look for that hairy one that Helen has working here. **

**It's so infuriating! I mean really, Helen would rather take those three chumps with her than me and don't even get me started on Jack the bloody Ripper. Stay behind and man the fort indeed, this is **_**me**_** that we're talking about! Its not fair that I get left behind after all the time I spent finding the gateway and creating the Vampire Shield and for the record I don't suck at naming things, I'm a genius.**

**But here I am anyway, left behind with the nagging rug while they get to go see this stupendous city with all its amazing technology and the cure for Helen. How can I not be bitter? You know I bet if I was still a vampire than I bet I would have got to go, vampires are so much more useful than idiot children and teleporting psychopaths!**


	2. Day 2

_**Notes: **Spoiler warnings. I don't own Sanctuary. Thank you to Ty for reviewing, I'm glad you thought it was really good.  
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**Day 2:**

**I wonder if Helen's found the city yet, I can only guess as no one has bothered to contact me. She is her so I have the utmost faith that she has, she's probably reunited with her father and everyone is sitting around the fire laughing about ditching me. Okay not really, I'm not **_**that**_** arrogant but I presume she's met up with John and Adam by now, I hope she yells at John for bring that little pest. With any luck she's found the cure as well and they'll be heading back soon.**

**There tracking beacon is still dead so I still don't know where they actually are, the moon for all I know. I have a new found pity for people stuck "manning the fort" all you can do is stare at the map all day being nagged by hairy one to do something more productive. What's not productive about drinking Helen's most vintage wines? I did offer him some but he refused. And if Helen wants her wine to last then she damn well better get back here, alive, as soon as possible.**


	3. Day 3

_**Notes: **Spoiler warnings. I don't own Sanctuary. Thank you to melissaadams22 for reviewing, I'm glad you thought it was fantastic and thanks for the cookie!  
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**Day 3:**

**Still no word from Hollow Earth. It must be a really amazing place to keep Helen and the children away from her precious Sanctuary for so long. You would think they would have contacted me in some way by now, if only to make sure this place is still standing rather than appease my frantic mind. There's only so much Chablis can do for worrying.**

**The hairy one's getting restless too, keeps nagging me to help out with the work which I have been doing, shocking I know but if I'm to get back in Helen's good books than I should probably do more than stare at the map all day. Would it kill her to check in so I know she's okay? It wouldn't take Johnny a second to come back and at least let me know they made it alive. **

**I have an increasingly bad feeling about all of this.  
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	4. Day 4

_**Notes: **Spoiler warnings. I don't own Sanctuary. Thank you to melissaadams22 for reviewing, I'm glad you're still enjoying this  
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**Day 4:**

**Despite the big hairy one's incessant nagging, I have managed to more or less spend the day productively figuring out a way to get to the city. Remember that fake keystone? That didn't work because it didn't emit any gamma radiation? It made me think, if it did emit the 2.2 rads of gamma radiation wouldn't it be possible that it'd work just like the real keystone? Genius that I am, I'm pretty sure I can get it to work. If Helen and her gang of merry men, plus Kate, won't come to me than I'll come to them.**


	5. Day 7

**Day 7:**

**I HATE KEYSTONES!**


	6. Day 13

_**Notes: **I do apologize for the shortness of the last chapter but considering Nikola can get so absorbed in his work that he forgets to bathe then I doubt he'd stop to write too much so that's my justification. Thank you so much to Ty and melissaadams22 for reviewing, glad you still like this  
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**Day 13:**

**Who's a genius? Oh yes me! Finally, after many exhausting and slightly frustrating hours, I have managed to make the fake keystone emit the 2.2 rads of gamma radiation, which I think should unlock the gateway to get us to Hollow Earth.**

**I'm only mad its taken me so long, and certainly not from lack of trying. I hope Helen appreciates the week I spent devoid of sleep working to save her, and those others. Whether they need rescued or not, they are going to be. **

**We leave for the city as soon as I've finished putting together another Vampire Shield, one advantage of being in charge while Helen's gone, unlimited supply of money to buy the essential materials, including wine. And if Helen gets mad at me then I don't really care, I just want her to be alive.**


	7. Discovery

_**Notes: **This chapter is not a diary entry for Nikola, while most of the story will be like that I felt some parts needed to be written normally so my apologies if you dislike that. And melissaadams22, thank you for reviewing!  
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Nikola shivered as the wind battered down on them and threw the flecks of snow at them, he glanced down at his GPS which he was following with the Big Guy who shuffled along beside him looking more and more doubtful with every passing second.

"Are we lost?" the Big Guy asked.

"For the last time no," Nikola retorted rolling his eyes at his companion's lack of faith in him, in reply he was giving a grunt and the Sasquatch fell silent once more.

Nikola shivered again hoping he wasn't actually lost, the intermittent signal he was following had a tendency to vanish every few minutes due to the bad weather. He pulled to a halt and looked up from the screen, much to his delight and relief before them stood what appeared to be the gateway. It didn't fit in with the rest of the rock anyway and was definitely not naturally occurring, he cast a triumphant smirk towards Bigfoot.

"See? Genius, remember?" Nikola gloated earning another grunt.

"Now what?" Bigfoot demanded still not entirely trusting the ex vampire.

Nikola paused thoughtfully and studied the door for a second, there was a circular gap in the center which looked like the perfect size of the keystone or in his case the fake keystone. He quickly shoved the GPS into his pocket and retrieved the fake keystone from another, taking a deep breath he placed it into the gap and turned it slightly.

Immediately the gateway began to open and Nikola jumped back impressed by his work, Bigfoot's expression remained impassive as he entered the tunnel. Nikola took a second longer, cautious of triggering any alarms due to his blood he glanced at his vampire shield which he hoped was still working and stepped into the gloom of the gateway which to his immense relief didn't suddenly try to explode and kill him.

"Tesla," Bigfoot grunted and his attention was drawn back ahead of him.

For a moment he thought he was seeing things as all he could see before him was solid rock, blinking a few times to adjust his eyes to the darkness he realized that it was solid rock, there had been some kind of cave in. Exchanging a worried look with Bigfoot he stepped forward and ran his gloved fingers across the ragged boulders blocking their path with no apparent way around it. Even worse than the fact they wouldn't be able to get through to Hollow Earth was that amongst the rubble he could clearly make out some of the gear and supplies that the others had brought with them.

Nikola could feel his heart thundering apprehensively in his chest, the idea that this gateway was now a tomb to the others was a horrifying thought. He forced himself to calm, telling himself that it was entirely possible that they had survived and were simply trapped on the other side. Bigfoot dropped to his knees and started sniffing the air before jumping back up panicked with a solemn expression on his features.

"What?" Nikola forced himself to ask.

"Blood," Bigfoot answered, "I smell blood."

"Maybe one of them is injured," Nikola shrugged turning his attention back to the cave in, "Helen! Can you hear me?"

"Think about it," Bigfoot told him sadly, "no contact for 2 weeks. A cave in. Their things amongst the rubble. Blood. They died here."

"No," Nikola stated firmly refusing to even consider the possibility that Helen was anything other than alive, " Helen! Henry! Will! Kate! Helen!"

"Nikola," Bigfoot snapped, using his first name for the first time which dragged his attention back to the abnormal who he was surprised to see had tears in his eyes.

"Wha-"

"They're dead," he spoke in barely more than a whisper but with a conviction that surprised them both.

Without another word he turned and left Nikola alone with his thoughts.


	8. Day 14

_**Notes: **melissaadams22, thank you so much for reviewing  
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**Day 14:**

**Damn. There's not enough wine on the planet to drown out my soul crushing despair at the moment, the only time I've been this mad at myself is when I "devamped" myself. The fake keystone worked much to my delight… that was immediately banished when we came face to face with a cave in.**

**Some of their supplies and gear was found amongst the rubble and the hairy one said he smelled blood... Monsters do cry, he's sure their dead and he's pretty devastated, understandably.  
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**I can't actually believe that might be possible, all my whining about being left behind and they might not even have made it past the starting line. I hadn't really considered that they didn't even make it to the city but now? It doesn't help that it would be virtually pointless to look for bodies, they could be buried at the center of the Earth by now or crushed into dust.**

**Do you know the last thing I said to Helen was some stupid line about being bitter, about not getting to come? I never thought that'd be the last thing I'd say to her. Damn**


	9. Day 15

_**Notes: **melissaadams22, thank you again so much for reviewing and I'm glad you're enjoying it  
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**Day 15:**

**You know what? I refuse to give up so easily, I have known Helen for more than a century, for 3 lifetimes for crying out loud. She is Helen Magnus. There is no way in Hell she is going to have let a stupid cave in like **_**that**_** kill her. Dammit she is **_**not**_** dead! I would know if she was dead, I would know!**

**So what if the blood is real? One of them could have been injured or maybe one of those others did die but not Helen Magnus. Think about it, it makes sense she's alive.**

**Scenario 1 is someone did die and she's and the other survivors are too grief-stricken to return immediately, they're simply staying in mourning for a while. Or Scenario 2 is that someone was injured and they're staying in the city to recover before Johnny takes them back. Makes sense doesn't it? **

**The freak with the hair doesn't believe me though, says I'm 'clutching at straws' or something along those lines. Well what does he know? I'm a genius and he's an overgrown ape. I just need some damned proof. **


	10. Day 16

_**Notes: **melissaadams22, thank you for reviewing  
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**Day 16:**

**Still can't convince the hairy one I'm not crazy, he's given up hope already. Meh, I don't need his blessing I just need the map of Hollow Earth so I can find a way to the city to save Helen and the others, since Johnny is clearly incapable of teleporting back. I hope Adam and Hyde haven't done anything too bothersome but there's another reason why they're not back yet. Saving the world from evil maniacs takes time.**

**I forwent sleep last night to study the map and if you look at it then you will see other potential entrances to the city, maybe nothing to do with keystones but if I can locate those caverns than I should be able to follow then to the city and to Helen. Genius, remember? **


	11. Day 17

_**Notes: **melissaadams22, thank you so much for for reviewing  
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**Day 17:**

**You will never believe what that stupid creep with the hair did now. He went and told the other Sanctuary head people that Helen was dead. I have just spent the day trying to convince them otherwise. Do you have any idea how exhausting that is? Where does Helen find such stubborn, nonsensical disbelieving, unfaithful tyrants? **

**When I eventually do succeed with my plans with world domination, I am going to take a gun and shoot all of those! Why does Helen put up with such uncooperative people? I could create mindless vampire drones smarter than them!**

**Not only do they not believe that she's still alive but they think I'm crazy for believing it. Even if you ignore all that, they don't even think I'm worth talking to because apparently I don't count as a real "Head of House" as they call themselves, I am in charge of them right now but just by a thread, considering my reputation and the fact Helen left me in charge (I know I bend the truth a little but she will kill me if she gets back and discovers her Sanctuary network in ruins, and since I'm no longer immortal that is a very bad thing) besides if I lose this Sanctuary then I lose the map and then I'll never be able to get to Hollow Earth!**

**Okay I'm done ranting; I'm going to go work on actually saving their lives now. Helen damn well better appreciate all of this by the time I rescue her and the rest of them and they better not accuse me of being a selfish bastard ever, ever again.**


	12. Day 21

_**Notes: **To melissaadams22, thank you again for for reviewing  
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**Day 21:**

**How am I supposed to get to Hollow Earth when I have the nagging hairy one and the Sanctuary personnel breathing down my neck? Having convinced them I'm their leader, now they want me to actually lead them, reports of abnormals, paperwork, inventory checks… gah! I miss being by myself trying to resurrect my ancestors. Good times. **

**I do have a whole newfound respect for Helen's ability to deal with such annoying people and also reaffirmed that I hate humanity, people are so irritating!  
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**It doesn't help everyone wants me to plan their funerals and by everyone I mean that hairy guy, what's the point if I'm not dead? I've given him permission to plan the children's funerals, if only so he'll leave me alone. I do hope that at least some of them are alive, besides Helen who obviously is fine, for all my complaining they're not bad people. **


	13. Day 25

_**Notes: **melissaadams22, thank you so much for reviewing, glad you're enjoying it  
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**Day 25:**

**Finally! I've had enough time with the map to work out where the other entrances are, once you match the tectonic plate lines up it's a lot easier. I've sent people out to scout the territory and see which entrance is the easiest to access, then I can fly out and go save all their lives while the hairy nag minds the place. I can't wait to see the look on those Sanctuary idiots' faces when Helen Magnus walks through the door.**

**Yes, I'll have them on their stupid screens and then ta da! Helen strolls in looking as sexy as ever, and perfectly healthy, then their jaws all drop. She'll smirk at them and tell them they're all a bunch of hypocritical windbags, they apologize profusely and promise never to doubt me again, then hang up ashamed and stop bothering me.**

**Finally Helen will turn to face me with a smile bright enough to dazzle the sun and I lose myself in her eyes for a minute before she tells me how grateful she is, I modestly tell her it was nothing and she laughs before planting a kiss on my lips… she is such a great kisser. **

**Remind me to burn this page before I rescue her.**


	14. Day 26

_**Notes: **melissaadams22, thank you for reviewing. Will they come back alive or not? You'll have to wait and see, as will Nikola who knows even less about what happened to them than we do  
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**Day 26:**

**My ingenious plan has failed. You'll never believe it. All of the stupid entrances to the city are sealed, shifting land patterns and uncooperative landslides have decided to block off all of the entrances. Why is the whole planet against me? No good deed goes unpunished! I put so much effort into saving their lives and I still can't even get to the city! Damn it!**


	15. Day 27

_**Notes: **Thank you to Cada41, (glad you think it sounds like Nikola), melissaadams22 and Adria626 for reviewing and I'm pleased you're all enjoying it.  
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**Day 27:**

**Declan MacRae arrive tomorrow, he's coming to pay his respects personally to Helen's "dead" people since he knew them and probably to try convince me to allow her memorial too, which I am not going to do obviously. Just because I can't get to the city _yet_ doesn't mean I'm not wrong about them being alive. It would be helpful if John was to teleport them all back here, but you know Johnny, the word failure comes to mind.**

**Not looking forward to tomorrow though, funerals are such depressing affairs. The hairy one arranged them all, he's insisting I attend since he can't exactly be himself around their families, aside from young Heinrich who had none. I really don't see the point since they're not dead or at least not all of them but since I'm apparently the "host" I suppose I'll have to, which is tedious because I really need a new plan of action on how to get to Hollow Earth. They can mourn the living for all I care, I'll just be here in the library working out a way to save all their lives, alone, with my bottle of wine.  
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	16. Day 28

_**Notes: **Thank you so much to melissaadams22 for reviewing  
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**Day 28:**

**Just as I predicted, today sucked.  
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**I guess it could have been worse, the three funerals were the main point of conversation and thankfully Declan was more focused on them that Helen but I doubt he will be like tomorrow. Not that today was any good, funerals are depressing for some reason.  
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**The protégé's funeral was first, Will. I had to meet his apparently estranged father, it was sad actually. Seeing a grieving father always reminds me of my brother's death, all those many years ago… I don't think he liked me very much. Kate's was next, her father is dead but she had a mother and a brother who were both miserable, understandably. The old lady kept asking me why her daughter died which I didn't really have an answer for, even though I think she's not dead I didn't feel like getting her hopes up. Young Henrich's was last, he didn't have any family being a foundling and all so it was much more private which was a mild relief. **

**Even worse is that I was expected to speak at all of the funerals, give eulogies since this responsibility somehow falls to me although Declan did have to say stuff too, the hairy one couldn't at the first 2 without causing people to ask questions. When I rescue them all, **_**alive**_**, they better be damn well grateful that I gave them such nice funerals, especially considering how I hate funerals. Did I mention that?  
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**As an immortal vampire you tend to not think about these things, especially since I was virtually alone for 60 years. I did go to Nigel's funeral though and James' of course. It's sad really, I know this sounds pathetic, but they along with Helen and John are the only real friends I've ever had. I know I always act… slightly arrogant but I did like them and studying with them at Oxford… those were good times. They really were.**


	17. Day 31

_**Notes: **Thank you so much to melissaadams22 and Cada41 for reviewing, glad you're still enjoying this  
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**Day 31:**

**Declan's been staying a while to help out and stuff which is why I've been so busy, I wouldn't mind too much except he keeps trying to get me to plan Helen's funeral and to a much lesser extent John's. They think Adam tricked him and that he's now dead too which I don't believe, he's not as dumb as the others think and besides why would Adam kill him? Then he can't get back to the city.**

**Bigfoot's losing patience with me too, Helen's been "dead" a month and he wants her to have a funeral which she "deserves" as does everybody else. Why are they so quick to just give up on her? I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle trying to convince them Helen has to be alive, you know if they stopped bugging me than maybe I would have thought of a way to the city by now. I wish John would hurry up and bring them all back.**


	18. Day 32

_**Notes: **Thank you to melissaadams22 and Cada41 for reviewing and the reason for the line you hate is yes Nikola is getting desperate and also he's not sure how else to get to or from the city at this point  
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**Day 32:**

**I did my first abnormal pickup today, Declan and the hairball insisted I help. I did quite well actually considering I'm mortal-ish, Helen should be impressed. It was this ugly lizard creature; Cortesemps, which is virtually extinct so finding this one is good apparently. **

**You see this is the incredibly weird thing, I try and save my race from extinction than I'm "selfish" but Sanctuary does it and their heroes. So unfair, I'll have to point that out to Helen when I rescue her. I wonder what she'll say.**

**I am getting a handle on things here, once you get into a routine its okay if still irritating. I'd much rather be trying to save Helen but I doubt she'll want to be saved if she comes back to find her life's work ruined, and Gregory for that matter if we're still saving him. **

**Still haven't figured out a way to get the city, for a map this one is extremely unhelpful. I just need one break, if I can just get there than I can save them. It's so maddening that they're right beneath my feet but I can't reach them, I just need a new plan, and some more wine as we're running slightly low.**


	19. Day 35

_**Notes: **Thank you so much to melissaadams22 for reviewing  
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**Day 35:**

**We're out of wine! The shipment I ordered was delayed by snow apparently, it's infuriating. How am I supposed to run Helen's Sanctuary without any decent libations? Especially with Declan MacNag and the negativity monster for company, I am so sick of them telling me Helen's dead and that I need to plan her funeral. Maybe if they were helping me instead of hindering me than she and the others would be back by now! Honestly, it is like talking to brick walls with those two- no, brick walls infused with steel and coated with titanium. Goddammit, I need a drink!**


	20. Day 42

_**Notes: **Thank you to melissaadams22 for reviewing. And I apologize in advance if I don't update this tomorrow, I wrote Day 1-42 all in one go so I'll have to write from scratch again and since my wrist is broken it just takes awhile, just don't think I've forgotten this story or anything  
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**Day 42:**

**Guess what? My shipment of wine finally arrived... in New York! How amazingly fantastic, and then of course everyone's pretty much at rock bottom for cheerfulness right now considering they believe Helen's dead. I don't care what they say! There is no way in Hell that Helen is dead. **

**We actually fought about that much disputed fact today, Declan says "total denial isn't helping anyone Tesla!" in his stupid British accent so I said he was the one in denial and he says "I know you loved her but it doesn't make her any less dead!" I can't believe he said that to me, how dare he presume he knows anything about me or Helen. And so what if I love her? It doesn't mean that I'm wrong. She's not dead. She is **_**not**_** dead, and I am going to find her and prove it.**

**We came to blows not long after that… he was stronger but I've got 100 plus years experience on my side, I floored him but earned a black eye for my efforts. **

**He leaves tomorrow. **

**Good riddance.**


	21. Day 44

_**Notes: **Thank you so much to almathea and melissaadams22 for reviewing  
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**Day 44:**

**Feeling much better today, my shipment of wine finally arrived and Declan finally left. We didn't say much understandably, I'm sure he'll get over it eventually when I rescue Helen and he sees that I was right.**

**I am right. Its been what? A month and a half? Entirely possible that one of her people were injured and have been recovering, you know Adam did get to go back there with John. The little cockroach isn't exactly trustworthy, isn't it entirely possible he did something and they had to stop him but John was injured in the process and they can't teleport back until he's recovered because the way they came is blocked? That makes sense. **

**At least the hairball has stopped calling me crazy, he just grunts instead. At least now with Declan gone and the other talking heads (what I've started calling the other house heads) off my back a but I can get back to studying the map properly and find a way to the city.  
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	22. Day 48

**Day 48:**

**I had an idea on how to get to the city, the same way Adam did! If I can find the same cliff Helen shot him then I find the river, which leads to the city. It is so simple I don't know why I didn't think of it before! Actually I do know why, everybody is so bothersome. If they hadn't been so irritating then I would have thought of this sooner, I completely blame the talking heads and the hairy nag but I digress, I will find the river and I will get the city. This has to work, it just has to  
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	23. Day 50

**_Notes: _**_Thanks go to melissaadams22 for reviewing_

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**Day 50:**

**You'd think retracing my steps and finding the river would be easy but actually no. I don't actually remember which river it was, Helen and John were the ones to go there and I was more concerned about saving London from that poison. **

**You know I should make a list of all my good deeds and recite it to Helen every time she starts with the whole "reviving vampires is evil" speech, I'll just shut her down with my glorious list of times I have actually saved her and others lives because of my genius. She'd probably find it amusing at the very least, how I miss finding things amusing rather than frustrating. It can't be that hard to track down the river though, there's only a finite number after all.  
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	24. Day 53

**_Notes: _**_Thank you to melissaadams22 and almathea for reviewing, sorry no adventure yet but when it comes you'll know the end is nigh_

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**Day 53:**

**Still no luck finding where Helen shot Adam. Would be so much more useful if someone had written down the location, thanks a lot Johnny (!)**

**At least the hairy one has started helping me, why the sudden change of heart I don't really know and he seems as convinced they're dead as ever but its better than nothing. He's a weird one anyway, I don't know why he's started slapping me on the head for no apparent reason! Yet oddly he seems to hate me less. Helen definitely has usual employees at any rate but then again she is her, not exactly conventional. That's a good thing.**


	25. Day 55

**_Notes: _**_Thanks melissaadams22 for reviewing_

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**Day 55:**

**I can't find out which river it was but I know the general land area, I have made a list of potential rivers I need to explore. How to do that is going to be the difficult thing, I'm partially afraid that if I leave the Sanctuary then the talking heads will sweep in and take over then I lose my access to the map. I don't know if I can trust the hairball to not call them, maybe that's why he's been helping me. **

**I guess I don't have much of a choice, no one else believes they're alive so if I don't do it no one will and if I don't get to the city then I can never save Helen. I still have the Vampire Shield so hopefully when I get there they won't simply kill me on sight- oh God, what if that's what happened? What if the Vampire Shield malfunctioned and the people realized that Helen has vampire blood? They could be holding them prisoner or… or no they wouldn't have executed her for that, would they?  
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**It makes sense slightly, Adam and Gregory were never injected with source blood so they were no threat to the city but Helen and John were. Maybe they take vampires as more of a threat than we thought. Damn. Why didn't I think of this earlier?**


	26. Day 57

**_Notes: _**_Thanks almathea for reviewing_

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**Day 57: **

**River 1 was not the right one. Disappointing, I really need to get to the city. Big Guy didn't care much for my theory, he thinks they're dead either way but I don't need his blessing. I just need a way in. I have to find out what happened to Helen and the others, I still don't believe that she's dead, even in the very slim chance she is I have to know how.**

**None of this would be happening if I had just got to go with them, what ever happened to "never leave a man behind?" I should have been there, at the very least I would know what happened. This is what I truly hate, not knowing. I'm not used to not knowing things, it's a very pathetic feeling.**


	27. Day 58

**_Notes: _**_Thank you melissaadams for reviewing_

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**Day 58:**

**Now I know why Big Guy's been so helpful in tracking down the list of possible rivers, if none of them lead to the city then I have to plan Helen's funeral. **

**People these days give up far to easily but it's going to work, I still have 6 rivers to try and one of them has to lead to the city. ****One of them will, you'll see**


	28. Day 60

**Day 60:**

**It's been 2 months since they left for the city. Can you believe that? Worst 2 months of my life. Progress is going badly, the next 2 rivers were bust. What possessed them to built a city that is so inaccessible? But if anyone can get there its me, even if this doesn't pan out I'll just think of something else and eventually something will work. Regardless of whether Helen gets her funeral, dammit she is not dead! What kind of super advanced civilized people would execute 4 people on site just because one of them was injected with source blood?  
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	29. Day 73

**_Notes: _**_Thank you to melissaadams22 and almathea for reviewing and yes I cannot wait till April either! _

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**Day 73:**

**It's not like me to strike out like this but none of the rivers had any way to get the city, searched them all for days, even swam to see where I'd end up which was awful considering how cold it is but there was nothing. I'm either way off on location or the entrance has somehow been sealed, I hate Hollow Earth. Nothing but a bunch of vampire hating, secretive jerks. Why did I ever think their cryptic technology was cool? **

**Now I'm expected to plan Helen's funeral. It doesn't change anything. I had a funeral and I'm still alive, so is she and I won't stop until I find her. I have the map, there's got to be a way to the city and I will find it. **


	30. Day 75

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to melissaadams22 for reviewing_

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**Day 75:**

**Helen's funeral is scheduled for next week, it has to be because there are so many people coming. All of the talking heads and a whole other bunch of abnormals, all the sentient ones in this Sanctuary want to come to. It is quite touching actually, how many lives she has influenced and changed for the better. Of course it is still stupid since she's not dead but she'll be honored by how many people mourn her "death." **

**Big Guy's put a lot of effort into making sure everything will go nicely, she's getting a lovely funeral for a live person. I can't decide whether I should attend or not, on one hand Helen will be mad that I skipped her funeral (even though she's not dead) but on the other if I go I feel like its proving I've given up on her, plus everyone's expecting me to be there. Quite the dilemma  
**


	31. Day 79

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to melissaadams22 for reviewing_

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**Day 79:**

**It's Helen's funeral tomorrow. Despite the negativity to my decision I have decided not to go, I don't care if Helen will never forgive me, I am not proving to everyone that I believe she's dead. If I go then everyone will think I've given up on her which is certainly not true, I refuse to believe it, Helen Magnus **_**cannot**_** be dead. But I am glad the funeral is tomorrow, the faster this gets over and done with, the faster the talking heads go home and the faster I can get back to searching for rivers.**

**On my note of that I forgot to factor in time, sorry James, land patterns would have been different 100 years ago thus my original search area for Adam's river would have been off which explains why nothing panned out. And if this doesn't work then I can always search for the entrance Gregory used in Mecca, simple.  
**


	32. Day 80

**_Notes: _**_Thank you to melissaadams22 and almathea for reviewing_

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**Day 80:**

**I did go to her funeral after all. For the Big Guy's sake more than anything, he really wanted me to be there. I actually felt bad being alone in the Sanctuary with myself, my Bordeaux and the map while everyone else was at her funeral. I stayed at the back the whole time so no one would notice, it was sweet actually. Helen would have liked it. She did so much good in her life and its really humbling that so many people wanted to honor her with their speeches and things. I can tell her all about it when I find her, we can drink wine and laugh about how ridiculous it is having funerals for live people.  
**


	33. Day 81

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to melissaadams22 for reviewing. You might get an update tomorrow or you might not, I'm caught up again to what I've written so I'll have to write from scratch again which just takes a long time with a broken wrist so yeah don't freak if there's no update tomorrow and read on  
_

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**Day 81:**

**Did you know the talking heads are actually even more irritating in person? Plus I think Declan's still a little sore about our fight not too long ago, thankfully all but him have to get back to their Sanctuaries and either leave to tomorrow or have just left. Actually their not grating on my nerves quite as much as I expected, I have been obsessing over the map.**

**I've narrowed the rivers down to 3 which I intend to try as soon as the talking heads are finishing leaving, I'm hoping Big Guy and Declan can hold down the fort while I'm gone but I'm not so worried about anyone taking over and kicking me out, they probably would have done it already besides, I think Big Guy is finally on my side even if he still thinks they're dead. I will not be returning empty handed this time, this will work. And if not, there's always Mecca.**


	34. Fight

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to melissaadams22 and almathea reviewing. You do get an update today, yay for you even though its long and dark and in case you can't tell its an action chapter as I've dubbed them, rather than Nikola's journal.  
_

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John ran as fast as his legs could carry him, bolting down the tunnels with Adam's creatures hot on his heels but he dare not stop as he knew it would mean recapture or death, for he was much too weak in his present state to fight them to fight them. He was panting heavily and those creatures were gaining on him, he glanced at the walls and prayed he was out of the natural EM caverns before squeezing his eyes shut and teleporting.

He half collapsed onto the ground and snapped his eyes open instantly, a half smile already gracing his lips as he saw the familiar interior of the Sanctuary library. He was safe, he was home.

"John?" Nikola's voice questioned and he turned his gaze on the ex-vampire who was standing staring at him, not number 1 on his list of people he'd have liked to have seen but he was grateful for a familiar face nonetheless.

"Nikola old boy," John greeted him trying and failing to stand properly, "lend us a hand will you?"

Nikola scowled at this but put down the book he was holding and went over to help him up and into a chair, John sighed gratefully and rubbed his eyes tiredly, he longed for sleep but telling Helen, Nikola and the others was far more important than his sleep.

"So?" Nikola prompted and John glanced back to his once friend who was staring at him expectantly.

"I'll tell you what I know when the others are present," John informed him blandly motioning for him to go.

"Big Guy can wait," Nikola snapped, "where is Helen? And the others? Why aren't they with you? What the hell happened down there?"

"Wha..." he began but trailed off confused as his heart sank like a rock, "the others aren't back?"

"Of course they're not back!" Nikola practically yelled throwing his arms in the air in frustration, "I haven't spent months trying to find a way to get to Hollow Earth and rescue you all for the good of my health!"

"They're not back," John repeated letting his head fall into his hands.

"Are you not listening to me?" Nikola demanded angrily.

"If they're not back then they are dead," John told him fighting back tears, he didn't want to cry in front of Nikola.

"Not you too," Nikola moaned rolling his eyes.

"Nikola, outlanders are executed when they reach Praxis," John explained, "they believe them to be too dangerous after all the chaos Adam called... its been nearly 3 months and they're not back. They're dead Nikola."

"No!" Nikola yelled slamming his fist violently onto the table.

"If they were alive don't you think they'd be back by now?" John retorted darkly, "this Sanctuary means everything to Helen, she wouldn't have left you here alone with it for this long if she was alive, you're not exactly trustworthy."

"Firstly that's not fair," Nikola pointed out, "I am far more trustworthy than you and secondly maybe they are trapped or hurt, the way they came is completely blocked in."

"They're dead Nikola," John said firmly, "William, Kate, Henry, Gregory and... and Helen. They're all dead."

"Have you seen their bodies? Like actually seen them dead?" Nikola asked still not looking convinced.

"No. I've been held prisoner by Adam for all this time," John snapped contemplating his next move, nothing mattered if Helen was dead, "I only just managed to escape with my life."

"Idiot," Nikola muttered under his breath but still loud enough for John to hear, "well then take me there."

"What?" John wondered looking at Nikola bewildered.

"Take me there," he repeated offering his hand, "take me to Hollow Earth and I will find them, prove that she's alive."

"She's dead," John told him again wishing he was too, "if I take you to Praxis on this ridiculous hunt then I can guarantee both of us will die. Helen is dead Nikola... she was dead the moment Gregory sent that message."

Nikola merely shot him a dark look before moving away muttering curses under his breath. John wasn't really listening, he didn't really care what his once friend was going to do no, he didn't see the point in anything anymore. Ashley was dead, Helen was dead, everyone else he knew was dead, pretty much. He had lived longer than any human really should, especially one hosting a being that turned him into a serial killer. He had tried to die before by Helen's hand but she had revived him... maybe Nikola was a better candidate for that task.

John stood up mustering what remained of his strength and approached the ex-vampire, calling his name so he would turn where John quickly struck him in the face with enough force to knock the ex-vampire to the ground.

"What the hell John!" Nikola yelled furiously standing up spitting the blood from his mouth, "are you insan-"

John didn't give him to finish instead striking him again and grabbing his collar flung him backwards into a shelf of books which tumbled to the ground around Nikola, he smiled and retrieved a knife from the table which someone had been kind enough to lay out for him before advancing on Nikola who kicked his legs from under him and punched John in the face with enough force to make his nose bleed.

"Nice move old boy," John complimented him as Nikola stood.

"What are you doing?" Nikola demanded again as John also stood taking the blade.

"Doing something I should have done a long time ago," John offered smirking and making a half hearted attempt to stab Nikola which was avoided as Nikola jumped back.

"Fight it John," Nikola told him firmly, "don't let the creature control you."

"You're so stupid," John sneered trying to rile the genius up, "that's why Helen chose me and not you."

"That is completely below the belt," Nikola retorted glaring at him.

"No. This is below the belt," John explained sweeping his legs from beneath him and lunging the knife at his throat as he hit the ground which Nikola was fast enough to dodge, "I see your reflexes are still sharp. Impressive."

"I don't want to fight you," Nikola offered backing away from him cautiously.

"Since when?" John snapped , typical the one time he wanted Nikola to kill him would be the one time he didn't want to fight.

"Since Helen will be kinda pissed that I killed you," Nikola informed him.

"SHE IS DEAD!" John screamed lunging at him again which Nikola dodged and grabbed his arm, twisting his wrist so as he cried out in pain and Nikola easily take the blade and kicked him to the ground.

"I don't want to fight you John," Nikola repeated standing over him with the knife.

"Then you'll die!" John snarled jumped up and knocking the knife from Nikola's hand and slamming his fist into his face again.

"Damn it!" Nikola snapped, "fight the creature John!"

"I think not," John replied grabbing Nikola and throwing him at the table with the book and paperweight on it, he slid across and off the end with the paperweight shattering on contact with the ground.

"No!" Nikola exclaimed looking horrified at the broken shards.

John simply bent to retrieve the knife before noticing a far better weapon, two swords hanging on the wall, kin to the ones he had used to fight the super abnormals. It was perfect for showing Nikola he was serious about killing him, whether Nikola killed him in anger or in self defense John didn't care as long as he died today. He took one of the swords and turned back to Nikola who was now watching him somewhat nervously as he advanced on him.

"Stop this John," Nikola said again, "Helen wouldn't want this."

"You have no idea what Helen wants," John sneered coldly testing the blade in his hand, "your people skills have always sucked and you're even worse around her, you just constantly get on her nerves. That's why she loved me, because I am a man where you're just a child who's lived too long."

"Shut up," Nikola snarled in a way that would have been threatening if he was still a vampire.

"You're pissed because you know I'm right, don't you?" John continued mocking him, "Helen hates you, she only tolerates you because you are mildly useful."

"Joh-" Nikola tried to say but John cut him off as he swung the blade at Nikola, slicing his arm.

"Did you really think you'd just show up in Hollow Earth and save her, then she'd be so amazed she'd fall in love with you?" John laughed and swung the blade at him again, this time catching his face which the genius clutched at.

"Fight it John!" Nikola yelled again, this time dodging the blade and falling instead to the ground.

"You're evil too," John pointed out laughing, "you should know how good it feels."

"Don't make me kill you," Nikola said suddenly quietly.

John could only smirk and raise the blade above his head ready to kill the arrogant ex-vampire but Nikola simply gestured with his hand and John gasped in pain as something stabbed through his chest, he looked down slightly horrified to see the crimson coated metallic blade of the second sword, obviously Nikola's new powers were underestimated.

He fell to his knees and let the sword drop from his fingers and clatter onto the ground noisily, it hurt to breath but he was grateful that soon he would be with Helen. He reached out and placed a hand on Nikola's shoulder, both for solace and for support to stop himself from crumpling to a heap on the ground.

"Th-Thank... y-you... ol-old...fr-frie-friend," he managed to choke out to a for once speechless Nikola and smiled broadly at him.

But his eyes refused to stay open and they slowly started to close as his life bleeding away, he thought one last time of Helen who he still loved with all his heart. He found himself feeling happy, they could finally be together for all eternity without the wretched energy elemental, how he wished he could be with her now.

Unknowingly he teleported away leaving alone a blood stained Nikola amongst the shattered ruins of the map.


	35. Day 83

**_Notes: _**_Thank you to athannah, almathea and melissaadams22 for reviewing  
_

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**Day 83:**

**Today sucked. **

**John reappeared finally, for all of 20 minutes. He told me about how they'd been executed, he said that Helen's dead and... it didn't sound like he was lying, why else would have died? In the end I had to kill him, it was kill or be killed... I stabbed him through the heart. He seemed to regain his sanity for a second before he died, he actually thanked me for killing him... How insane is that? Then he teleported away to die, I have no idea where his body will turn up. **

**And you know another bad thing about today? The glass paperweight was destroyed in the fight, broken beyond repair so I can no longer use the map of the city... Praxis? John mentioned that place a few times. Since the map is destroyed I can't find a way to Hollow Earth anymore, if the list of rivers I've got doesn't work than I am basically screwed.**

**Not that I'm exactly top of the world right now... I think Helen might actually be dead, maybe everyone is right and they died either in the cave in or where executed, maybe I've been wrong this whole time and I have been clutching at straws. I just don't want her to be dead, I don't want to be the last of the Five. It's not fair, why didn't she just take me with her? **

**Dammit_, _I hate this uncertainty, this not knowing of things. If I knew for certain she was alive or even if I knew for certain she was dead than I'd feel better than now, than just not knowing. I don't know if she's alive, I don't know if I can get to the city anymore or if I even want to go to the city... I don't even know what I should do anymore. I just don't know.**


	36. Day 84

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to almathea and melissaadams22 for reviewing  
_

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**Day 84:**

**I've locked myself in my room today, my excuse is because I'm injured from the fight with John but really I just don't feel like doing anything right now, I don't even want to drink any wine. The more I think about the more I think Helen is dead, it has been 84 days already and no word or anything and it does explain a lot but I just... I just want her to be alive so much. There's so much I never got to say to her, the last thing I said was something stupid about being bitter.**

**Do you know in Rome I was never going to kill her? I was going to tell her that at some point. And I was going to tell her I was sorry about taking the source blood larvae because I never meant to hurt her, I just need to be a vampire again and its not an easy thing to accomplish. I wanted to tell her that I loved her, at a more appropriate time than running from Cabal agents.**

**What am I supposed to do now?**


	37. Day 85

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to almathea and melissaadams22 for reviewing  
_

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**Day 85:**

**Still haven't left my room despite Big Guy's incessant nagging at me to come out but I really don't care anymore, the only reason I have been running the Sanctuary is so that I have access to the map and so Helen wouldn't be mad that I'd let things go to hell around here but now? The map is destroyed and Helen is most likely dead so neither of those reasons are valid. I no longer have a reason to stay here, I should just leave, take the source blood larvae and get back to regaining my vampiric powers. It'll be great, no nagging sasquatches, no talking heads, no paperwork... but how can I leave when I don't know for sure Helen's dead? I have a right to know that don't I? Maybe I should check those rivers anyway, I still have my list after all.**


	38. Day 86

**_Notes: _**_Thank you to narutofanhinatafan and melissaadams22 for reviewing, glad you like how he calls them talking heads :)  
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**Day 86:**

**I've decided to track down those rivers anyway, alive or dead I have to know what happened to Helen and the only way I can do that is if I get to Hollow Earth, even if none of the rivers lead there than at least I will have tried everything to save her. I can't just leave the Sanctuary and get back to my work without knowing I have at least done everything I can think of, might as well give it my all. Although I am slightly worried about the whole 'execution of outlanders' thing Johnny mentioned, not exactly top of my list for ways I want to die but its the only way I can find out the truth.**


	39. Day 87

**_Notes: _**_Thank you to narutofanhinatafan and melissaadams22 for reviewing and yes, I do update this story every day  
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**Day 87:**

**I leave tomorrow. Declan isn't exactly pleased but I'm sure he can cope with things and deal with the talking heads, I'm sure they'll like him more than me anyway. Big Guy wants to come with me but I think I have managed to convince him that its better I go on alone despite my arm still being sore, so nice of Johnny to leave me with wounds to remember him by. **

**I'm still not entirely confident in my plan, assuming its not another dead end then I'll be strolling right into the middle of a civilization that executes people, I still have the vampire shield but considering how Helen... might not be alive because of it I am not sure if it will be any use. Not sure whether to bring the source blood larvae with me or not either, I don't know if I'll be coming back here.**


	40. Day 89

**_Notes: _**_Thank you to narutofanhinatafan for reviewing and yes, glad the whole talking heads thing is so popular :)  
_

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**Day 89:**

**Guess what? First 2 rivers on the list are a bust, dead ends which lead to nowhere. Stupid city. Stupid rivers. Stupid map. Stupid Gregory getting himself trapped there, if I find him alive then we are going to have words. Next time he gets trapped in an inaccessible city with a bunch of weird people who kill outlanders on site he sure as hell better not drag anyone else down with him. I should also complain about my test for the key, was all that electricity really necessary? Assuming I get to the city and find I him I don't know if I should help him, if Helen is dead than on his head be it.**


	41. Day 94

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to melissaadams22 and narutofanhinatafan for reviewing  
_

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**Day 94:**

**Guess what? The second 2 rivers are dead ends as well! Dammit, why is it so hard to just get through to this place? Seriously it would be easier to break into fort Knox, I'm not even kidding about that. I'm beginning to think that this probably won't work, I've only got one river left on the list, only one. **

**I'm not going to make it to the city, am I? I'm never going to rescue Helen and the others, I'm not even going to know if they died in a cave in or if they were executed or if they died some other way. I guess on a plus at least I won't have to explain to her about how I killed Johnny, albeit in self defense. Oh Helen, why didn't you just let me go with you?**


	42. Day 95

**_Notes: _**_Thanks go to almathea, melissaadams22 and narutofanhinatafan for reviewing!  
_

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**Day 95:**

**Guess what? I am a genius! The final river has to lead to the city, there is a cavern hidden near the end of it, I almost missed it at first but I have found it. It is obviously man made and has this unusual lights that don't seem to have a power source but light up the cavern regardless, plus their are ancient Sumerian markings down here, exactly like the ones from the map. It doesn't look like it has been used in awhile of course but who the hell cares? My 95 days of torment and working with that infuriating map has finally paid off!**

**Exhilarating isn't it? All this occasion needs is that bottle of Bordeaux that Biggie wouldn't let me pack, wait until he and those damn talking heads hear about this. Crazy indeed! When will humanity learn to not to doubt my genius? Why was I even doubting my genius? Doesn't matter, does not matter, all that matters is that I have found a way to that damned city. **

**I'm writing this in that cavern now, I don't really want to leave it in case it disappears before I can get back. The only remaining question is do I get backup or just head in there by myself, normally I wouldn't want backup but considering my recent _temporary_ mortality it might be good plus I can finally rub it in their faces, not that I'm gloating or anything. This stupid cell phone Biggie gave me appears to not be working, no signal. Well that solves that, I'm not going to leave this cavern just to call them. Should I wait till morning or simply press on now? Hahaha stupid question, to Hollow Earth and hopefully Helen!**


	43. Day 96

**_Notes: _**_Wow 4 reviews? Thank you so much to athannah, melissadams22, narutofanhinatafan and Miss Cheerfully _

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**Day 96:**

**Been walking down this tunnels for a long time, a lot of the earlier ones seemed to have fallen into a state of disuse but there are more definite signs of life later on although still no city. There's these tracks everywhere recently with this speeding spherical capsules that pass through them which I am guessing is some kind of transport, it is fascinating although not really helpful in my search for Helen. Logically they lead to the city, where I will apparently be executed so I have avoided going inside them thus far, just as I have avoided talking to the people.**

**Yes there are people down here, abnormal or not I don't know yet but I've overheard bits of conversation and they speak in English surprisingly but usefully, my ancient Sumerian is extremely rusty, I only know a few words so the fact I can understand them is helpful. Not that their conversations are that interesting, they seem to be farmers of these mushroom fields. I can't help but wonder if Helen and the others got this far, assuming they weren't killed in the cave in which I don't think is likely. In one of the tunnels I found a tracking dots like what Helen and her people use. It gives me hope that she still might be alive despite what Johnny said although I haven't seen anything else indicating their presence but I have only been down here a day. **


	44. Day 97

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to almathea, narutofanhinatafan and melissaadams22 for reviewing_

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**Day 97:**

**Made contact with the people of Hollow Earth today, talked to one of the farmers who was a lot more friendly than I expected of a place that executes outlanders, their tourist industry must be dead by the way. So anyway he warned me to leave this place because apparently there were others, a woman and a man who came from the surface and wore weird clothes like mine (from the description these were Helen and that protege), they wanted to get to the city which is called Praxis but they haven't been heard from since. Not a very enthusiastic line but I just feel so close to finding her or at least to know what happened to her- I mean them.**

**They didn't know about wolf boy and gun girl but he thought the others mentioned something about being separated from their friends, no mention of John either but they seem to know of Adam. They speak of a surface dweller who was found injured but they revived him until he turned on them, tried to kill their leader or destroy their city depending on the version you hear, but was ultimately banished and his minions driven away. Who else could it be? It has Hyde written all over it. No one has heard from him since though. I think they know of Gregory as well, as soon as you mention Magnus they just clam up. **

**All of this information is mildly useful but outdated, I need to know where the others are now not before. People are frustrating. At least I haven't been executed though, that's always a plus. Hang on I hear something**


	45. Day 98

**_Notes: _**_Sorry its so short, my wrist is just killing me today. Thanks to narutofanhinatafan for reviewing_

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**Day 98:**

**You will never believe who I found: Gregory Magnus. Seriously, he was just wondering around like a little lost lamb and its a good thing I found him rather than him just running into one of the patrols by accident. Only downside is the old man is injured, hungry and dehydrated which sucks for getting information out of him. I've bandaged his arm, given him some of my water supply and food rations but he still thought it'd be fun to spend almost all of the day asleep. Which is unbelievably tedious as I am sure he has to know something of where Helen is or at least know something about Adam or anything. I can't even wander too far in case something happens to him while I'm gone, which would not put me in Helen's good books to say the least. **


	46. Talk

**_Notes: _**_Another action chapter, hope you like you almost didn't get an update. Thanks go to melissaadams22, narutofanhinatafan and especially almathea who I forgot to thank yesterday  
_

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"Nikola?" a voice questioned and he glanced to see Gregory coming to.

"Finally!" Nikola exclaimed throwing his arms up in frustration, "about time you've woken up."

"What in the world happened to your eye?" he asked sitting up and wincing at his injured arm.

"Johnny tried to kill me," Nikola answered bluntly, "what happened to your arm?"

"But you're a vampire," he muttered scowling, "why haven't you just healed?"

"That is a long story," Nikola said firmly, "which is for another time."

"I can't believe Helen sent you of all people," Gregory snorted disapprovingly.

"Wait, you don't know where she is?" Nikola wondered as his heart sunk.

"What is she missing?" Gregory replied completely oblivious.

"Dammit!" Nikola swore jumping to his feet and suppressing the need to scream in frustration, "months trying to get to Hollow Earth to rescue Helen then I finally figure it out and I still only get stuck with you!"

"Where is my daughter?" Gregory demanded.

"Short version is, she got your message found the map, found the keystone then went looking for you and hasn't been in contact with me since," Nikola explained trying not to glare at him.

"Why would she want to contact you, you tried to murder her," he pointed out still frowning.

"What's a little attempted murder between friends?" Nikola asked of him trying not to think about John, "its not important, whats important is finding her and the others. So just tell me everything you know about this place."

"That would take a while," Gregory complained looking worried, "she... she did realize that they execute outlanders unless you offer them a gift?"

"No," Nikola answered irritated, "how are we supposed to know things like that?"

"The map is very clear," Gregory informed him rubbing his eyes.

"No it isn't," Nikola snapped, "do you know how many hours I've spent trying to decode that damn thing? I managed to find the gateway but it was still Adam who found the keystone."

"You showed Adam Worth the map?" Gregory almost yelled, "he can never return here!"

"He's been 'here' for months," Nikola informed him blandly before letting out a tired sigh and sinking to the ground beside Gregory, "so you have no idea where Helen is?"

"No," Gregory sighed also, "but I know where Adam's hideout is."


	47. Day 99

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to narutofanhinatafan for reviewing  
_

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**Day 99:**

**So good news is Gregory finally woke up, bad news he is as useless as ever. Doesn't know where Helen or the others are and doesn't even want to tell me about the city, its society or their technology. He does know where Adam's old hideout was where he did something bad and evil (also something he doesn't want to tell me about) but I didn't come here to track down a lunatic, I came here to find Helen or at least what the hell happened to her. However now I am obligated to find Adam before he does something disastrous, considering how we're beneath the Earth's surface its dangerous to do things down here in case it has an impact the whole world so I have to stop him, which is incredibly tedious, all of this heroic stuff is damned frustrating. **

**I am going there tomorrow, alone since Gregory is injured. Apparently Adam has a swarm of these creatures which no one bothered to kill or even capture them, he created them and they are loyal only to him. They're fast, agile and invisible and by the sound of things the same as the ones who wanted her protege's memories, and I forgot to bring one of those detecting things her boy made. Of course Gregory neither likes me nor trusts me so for all I know he could just be sending me into a trap, however I don't think he's lying. The reason he's still trapped down here is because all the entrances he knows are sealed so I am the only person who knows the way out, he actually needs my help. Any other day I'd gloat on that but I am far more worried about my impending plan and Helen. People can't just disappear into the face of the Earth. I will find you Helen, alive or dead I promise. Once I take out Adam I can concentrate completely on finding her and if Gregory cares at all then he _will_ help me. Wish me luck.  
**


	48. Day 100

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to melissaadams22 and narutofanhinatafan for reviewing  
_

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**Day 100:**

**All that planning for nothing! Adam's old hideout is completely deserted, most of his work was clearly destroyed and all you have left is charred remnants of metal and glass. No sign of habitation for decades, if Adam came back there at all then clearly he took what he needed and took off. Besides the composition of the surrounding tunnel wouldn't hinder John's teleporting ability so there is no way that he was held there for months, John isn't that stupid. So now I'm back to square one with Helen's dear old Dad, missing Big Guy already. Maybe at least we can concentrate on finding Helen.  
**


	49. Day 101

**_Notes: _**_Thank you so much to almathea, melissaadams22 and narutofanhinatafan for reviewing :)  
_

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**Day 101:**

**After wandering around these tunnels all day I am forced to concede that Gregory may be right on concentrating on finding Adam, he might know something about where Helen is at any rate and he is easier to locate. I do know where John took him when those two idiots decided to ditch me and after describing it to Gregory he knows where it is, John had to have been captured near there in some cave where he couldn't teleport away so we, or rather I are going to go there tomorrow and look for any sign of Adam or those minion things. If this turns out to be nothing than Gregory has said we get to go to the city, finally. And with any luck Helen will be there alive and well, here's to hoping.  
**


	50. Day 102

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to melissaadams22 and narutofanhinatafan for reviewing  
_

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**Day 102:**

**I have found Adam's hideout, genius remember? It uses the same kind of invisible technology as those creatures, far more high tech than his old place. There is quite a few of the creatures about but they don't seem to use their invisible powers unless they're around people and I've kept out of sight so they haven't notice me. They seem to communicate telepathically with each other so no insight into whatever Adam's plan, I need to get past them to get inside and find out what he knows about Helen, plus stop him and all that. As long as the creatures stay invisible their movement patterns are pretty predictable, they don't mix up the routine much which shouldn't make it too hard to take them out. Actually watching their routine its more like they're trying to keep someone in rather than something out, fascinating.  
**


	51. Day 103

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to melissaadams22, almathea and narutofanhinatafan for reviewing  
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**Day 103:**

**Okay so I have discovered majorly, majorly important information to do with Adam's hideout. He _is _keeping someone in, Johnny! He's alive, I have no idea how he survived but he's alive and is Adam's prisoner again. I can only guess he used the technology of the city, maybe the same way they revived him after Johnny and Helen screwed up killing him although why he would teleport back to his captor is beyond me, if he wanted to live so bad then why did he force me to kill him? I can't exactly ask him, damn idiot decided to be unconscious, why is everyone unconscious these days? I couldn't take him with me but I did get a good look around his work area, mostly he uses the same cryptic technology as the cursed map. Impressively I got in and out without detection and I'm sure I can do it again, Adam's perduvian friends aren't that smart and hopefully they'll not have noticed they were passed out for awhile rather than upping security measures. John may know nothing but Adam has to know something about Helen plus he is building something and I'd bet my source blood larvae that it is far from good.  
**


	52. Day 104

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to almathea, narutofanhinatafan and melissaadams22 for reviewing  
_

* * *

**Day 104:**

**Spend the day arguing with Gregory, he thinks it was stupid and reckless to break into Adam's hideout etc. He thinks we should leave and return with back up, like hell I am leaving this place not after all the effort I put into getting here, I am not leaving without Helen or at least not without finding out what happened to her. I miss working alone! And I'm going to have to end up saving Johnny too, while I despise him its true I can't exactly leave him for Adam to experiment with? I don't know, I have no idea what he would want with a teleporting possessed serial killer but then I'm not a deranged madman. **

**Despite Gregory's protest we're going with my plan, mostly because he can't leave as I'm the only one who knows where the exit is and I don't plan on telling him any time soon or I'll lose my leverage. So I'm going back into Adam's lair and this time I am not leaving without some proper answers.  
**


	53. Into the Lair  Part 1

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to narutofanhinatafan and melissaadams22 for reviewing, sorry this was supposed to be longer but my wrist is killing me so I'm gonna stop there and work on part 2 tomorrow, don't like it? Tough. Hope you like it btw :)  
_

* * *

Nikola wandered cautiously down the corridor until he laid eyes on one of Adam's albino minions, it started to snarl as it saw him but he was faster and fired the stunner at the creature, watching mutely as it tumbled to the ground. He remained frozen for a minute, listening for any indication he'd alerted the others but there was nothing which meant he had about half an hour max before the others noticed it was down. He quickly toyed with the idea of killing it but decided not to risk the noise of a gunshot, instead he reached out his hand and slammed it into the wall where he recalled there being the hidden access button.

His memory was rewarded by a shimmer in the rock face as the door obediently opened for him, with one last glance behind he hurried inside the building before the door closed immediately behind him. He was faced with semi-familiar site of Adam's hideout, not incredibly different from outside save the bland looking walls instead of rock. He wasted no time and meandered through the corridors, listening intently for any sign of the albinos but like before the place seemed deserted.

He reached his destination and sure enough John was still there, held down by thick metallic restraints and unhelpfully still appeared unconscious. The only difference from before was now he was shirtless with electric nodes on his chest, they didn't connect to anything but he noted a machine that he had seen beside John yesterday was no longer present.

"I d... Hel... it was... so many... tuesday... it was..."

Nikola nearly jumped at John's delirious babbling and frowned ready to complained at him before he realized John wasn't awake, his eyes were still closed and his breathing seemed unusually ragged and shallow. He tenuously reached out and pressed his hand to John's clammy neck to check his pulse which was thready, clearly Adam had done something to him. He scanned around for something that looked like it released the restraints and saw a few buttons on the steel pillar holding up the seat, he selected a few at random and he was rewarded by the restraints snapped away.

Feeling pleased with himself he glanced back at John and noticed curiously a recent scar on his chest, above his heart in the exact location that he'd been stabbed with the sword. Nikola frowned curiously at the scar, he had killed John and yet he lived, clearly the technology of Hollow Earth was still living up to its impressive if cryptic name.

Noting how he still had plenty of time before the albino was discovered, Nikola decided to poke around a bit more and to come back for John later as he wasn't far from the exit. As he turned to leave something lashed out and seized his wrist in a vice like grip, shocked Nikola blinked and saw it was John who had grabbed him, who was staring at him wide eyed.

"Nikola, Nikola," he gasped digging his nails into Nikola's arm, "please, you must... you must..."

As abruptly as it had happened it was over and John fell backwards as his grip became slackened, Nikola blinked a few times for a second believing he was dead until he noticed John was still breathing and beads of sweat were forming on his brow. He checked his pulse anyway and found it still there, but still thready.

"John?" he questioned but gleaned no reply.

He waited a minute to see if John would regain consciousness but he didn't, shaking his head Nikola decided to press on quickly and hurried into the next room.


	54. Into the Lair Part 2

**_Notes: _**_Thanks narutofanhinatafan, melissaadams22, almathea for reviewing  
_

* * *

Nikola's frown deepened as he entered the next room, previously it had contained Adam's half built machine but it was empty now. Completely cleared of any trace of the large metallic device, he moved his hands through the air to test for if it was invisible but found nothing. The machine was gone, which could not be good. He strongly doubted Adam had simply destroyed it, most likely it had been moved into a more convenient location for whatever he was planning to do.

He continued through the seemingly deserted base for a few minutes, most rooms were filled with stacks of discarded junk, paper and the like, another seemed to be Adam's bed chamber with a picture of that daughter he'd had hanging on the wall, until finally he came across the final room which had a locked door. It was odd because none of the other doors had been locked, not even the room John was in. His curiosity aroused Nikola holstered his gun and picked the lock hurriedly, cautiously he entered and drew his gun again in case of more guards but what he saw was completely unexpected.

It was a large room with counters riddled with vials of liquids, some of which looked like blood and multiple apparatus but what shocked him was directly opposite him were cages or cells depending on how you chose to view them. Usually such things housed the creatures being used in experiments, rats, monkeys, nubbins but in these cages were humans. Humans he recognized, Helen's people. He couldn't help but feel immensely pleased with himself, here the trio were looking ragged but 100% alive just as he had claimed for what felt like an age. He wanted so badly just to laugh out loud at his genius but thought better of it, he was sure the others wouldn't appreciate it.

"I can't believe I am actually saying this," Henry announced sounding exhausted, "but dude, I am so glad to see you."

"Well thank you," Nikola offered arrogantly smirking, "although I am insulted you doubted me, but then you three are not that bright."

"Okay, okay, enough gloating," Will complained, "just get us out of here."

"Say please," Nikola commanded enjoying his moment of heroics as he paced the floor looking for Helen but didn't see her, or any indication that she'd been here.

"You have got to be kidding me," Kate exclaimed.

"Okay better idea," Nikola decided to ask them, "where is Helen?"

"What?" Will gasped, "don't you know?"

"Of course I don't know!" Nikola retorted angrily as his bubble burst, "why else would I spend months studying the map and enduring the talking heads if not to find her?"

"The talking what?" Kate wondered.

"You don't think Adam was right, do you?" Henry whispered worriedly.

"We don't have time to worry about that now," Will told them all firmly, "please Nikola, just get us out of here."

"What's Adam planning?" Nikola asked instead, figuring perhaps the little twerp knew what became of her.

"How should we know?" Kate snapped.

"He's been doing some kind of research on you guys," Nikola told them but moved over to the cages to inspect their locking mechanism, unlike the time tested old door he saw no sign of a lock or padlock.

"Injecting us with some kind of poison then giving us the cure, have no idea why," Will answered bluntly, "now are you going to help us or no-"

Before he could answer Nikola honed into his magnetic powers and simply pulled away the bars with his mind, he smiled half to himself at the stunned looks on their faces as they hobbled to their feet while pondering Adam's scheme. Clearly he'd been testing a poison on them and then testing the cure which implied he was going to use the poison like he had tried once before in London except this time with a different, curable compound which seemed slightly odd.

"How do we get out of here?" Henry asked.

"Follow me," Nikola offered hesitantly before leading them away, "we have to get John and then we can go back to Gregory."

"John's here?"

"You found Gregory?"

"Oh hush," Nikola complained leading them back into John's room where he was still lying and babbling incoherently, "and someone needs to help me get him out of here."


	55. Day 105

**_Notes: _**_Thank you to melissaadams22, almathea and narutofanhinatafan for reviewing  
_

* * *

**Day 105:**

**Remember how everyone thought I was crazy for believing Helen and the others were alive? Well guess what, I was right. Again. Found those pitiful children Helen insists on keeping around as captives inside Adam's base, rescued them along with John but dammit no sign of Helen and the others claim to have no memory from getting to Praxis to waking up in Adam's base so have no idea where she is and John's still babbling incoherently and drifting in and out of capaciousness. How am I supposed to impress Helen with my heroics if I can't find her? And I have no idea where Adam is either and I still have to help stop him because its my responsibility apparently as the only healthy one there (the children aren't 100% yet from their ordeal). You'd think after I put so much effort into saving their lives they could at least not be so compromised. Ingrates.**

**So I have been watching Adam's base for a while now, no sign of Adam or the albinos and if they were simply invisible then I would have heard them by now but nothing. First the machine's gone, now the minions, clearly Adam is doing something. And it cannot be good.  
**


	56. Day 105 Afternoon

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to melissaadams22, almathea and narutofanhinatafan for reviewing  
_

* * *

**Day 105- afternoon:**

**I've just thought of something, about what Adam's plan. He was using the children to test a poison, presumably some unknown concoction or else he wouldn't need to also develop an antidote, which I'm guessing is for use on himself but I was thinking if he wanted it then he probably wanted to poison the lunatics in Praxis then he'd need to make sure they didn't already have a cure and considering their advanced technology I'm guessing there was few compounds that they couldn't cure which explains that. Now if you want to poison a city then you're best bet is some kind of machine, like the one he built and is now missing and to power such a machine you'd need a power source and if you didn't want the people to detect it then you'd need to be original and use something different, like an energy elemental like, the one inside John and the cure is probably to stop it turning on him because he knows how crazy it is. **

**Everything fits! The only thing missing is where the hell is Helen and why should I care about a city of vampire hating executioners anyway? For all I know they could have killed Helen or are holding her captive... which means she'd probably die too if she's there, damn. The things I do for love despite knowing how irrational it is, this is going to get me killed later, or sooner.  
**


	57. Plan

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to melissaadams22 and narutofanhinatafan for reviewing. Probably a few action chapters coming up, hope you don't mind  
_

* * *

Nikola finished explaining his theory to the others who listened with varying degrees of interest, Kate looked bored out of her mind and Henry seemed unconcerned but Gregory and Will seemed much more on the ball.

"If he is going to do that then we need to find him," Will announced frowning, "and fast."

"I'm grateful for you saving my life and all but that sounds kinda crazy dude," Henry complained.

"No I think it makes sense," Gregory sighed and all eyes turned attentively to him, "Adam was exiled because he tried to poison the city once before, he wanted access to their power source and when he was refused he plotted to kill everyone in the city to gain access to it. Thankfully he used a poison they had a cure for and we tracked him via the power source he was using, is makes sense if he was to try again then he would have corrected those errors."

"And you didn't think to tell us this sooner?" Will asked giving him a frustrated glance.

"I dislike revealing information about Praxis," Gregory explained apologetically, "they keep their secrets safe for a reason."

"They're not the only one," Nikola muttered trying not to be angry with Helen's father but keeping something like this from him, he would have put the pieces together a lot sooner if the old man had bothered to tell him this.

"Forgive me for not trusting you," Gregory retorted sardonically, "its not like you've ever given me a reason not to. Besides nearly killing my daughter, John and attempting to recreate a deadly race of abnormals who would enslave all of humanity, oh yes you are trustworthy all right."

"I came to save you all, didn't I?" Nikola snapped, "if it wasn't for me you'd all either still be captive or dead, haven't I earned a modicum of respect for that?"

"Okay, okay hush," Kate moaned rolling her eyes.

"What matters is where Adam would put such a device," Will offered drawing their conversation back on topic, "if you were going to wipe out the entire city then where would you put this machine thing?"

"I know," Gregory answered firmly, "I'll give you directions, half of you can go and search the area and the other half must warn Praxis. I'll stay here and care for John."

"Wait you want us to go into a city who executes outlanders?" Henry exclaimed looking unconvinced.

"I'll give you instructions on what to do to prevent that," Gregory said unconcerned.

"If the city is so great than how come you are out here hiding from them then inside there?" Nikola demanded.

"They didn't take kindly to the message I sent you," Gregory sighed regretfully, "but that is for another time, time is of the essence."

"It may already be too late," Nikola added morbidly.


	58. Invisible

**_Notes: _**_For the record I have **not **abandoned this story, I have just been in hospital having my wrist re-broken. No kidding, they actually do that when they screw up and your wrist sets wrong *coughIhatedoctorscough* but I am back now! Stop panicking and thank you for your patience anyone who is still reading this. Thank yous to almathea, narutofanhinatafan, melissaadams22, Ty (for all 3 reviews!) and I-Heart-Nikola-Tesla. Oh and btw this is set before the last chapter I posted  
_

* * *

"I still don't see anything," Will complained as him and Nikola wandered through the tunnels Gregory had directed them to look, "are you sure this is the right way?"

"Maybe Gregory just got it wrong," Nikola retorted with a slight shrug, "he's not as amazing and perfect as Helen makes him out to be. While we're on the subject are you absolutely sure that you have no idea where she is?"

"Of course I don't!" Will snapped, "don't you think I want to find her just as much as-"

"What was that?" Nikola interrupted as he something and paused in his tracks.

"What was wha-"

Will was cut off by some unseen force sweeping his legs from under him, instantly alert Nikola shot a few bullets in the direction of the accompanying snarl he'd come to associate with Adam's albino creatures. Sure enough one of the bullets caught it in the leg and it shimmered into visibility clutching at its leg and screeching, calling for more of them. He shot it squarely through the head which immediately silenced it although much to his surprise the blood stemming from it was a kind of bluish gray.

"Interesting," Will mused getting to his feet and gently prodding the thing with his toe to make sure it was dead, "guess Gregory may be right after all."

"Not necessarily a good thing," Nikola muttered kneeling beside the dead abnormal and studying it carefully, "more albinoids will be joining us shortly."

"Albinoids?" Will scoffed, "wow do you suck at naming things. We're not calling them that by the way."

Nikola shot him a dark look but quickly returned his attention to the albinoid, more specifically the white circular device on its chest. Cautiously he reached out and pulled it from the body easily, the fabric in their clothes wasn't particularly strong. He turned it around and looked at it from a few different angles, it was definitely made by intelligent life and was about the size of his palm. Curious to what it did he started pressing at it randomly which elicited a gasp from Will.

"Are there more?" Nikola asked worriedly standing up to still see Will gawking at him, "what?"

"You-you're invisible," Will pointed out peering around him.

"Seriously?" he wondered doubtfully still seeing his hands holding the device, "I can still see myself."

"I can't," Will announced, "now change yourself back."

"Hmm," Nikola muttered pressing a few more buttons, "am I visible again?"

"No."

"How about now?" he inquired continuing to press buttons at random.

"No! This isn't funny," Will snapped before trailing off as they heard nearby footsteps and a few snarls, "I guess that would be the cavalry."


	59. Overwhelmed

**_Notes: _**_Sorry I didn't update yesterday, action chapters just take awhile to type one handed. Thanks go to narutofanhinatafan, almathea and melissaadams22 for reviewing!  
_

* * *

They dived behind a rock and fired a few shots randomly in the direction where the most snarls and scuffles were coming from, as Nikola had fast discovered despite being able to see himself while invisible it didn't mean he could see their attackers.

"Tesla!" Will yelled loudly, "where are you?"

"Right beside you," Nikola hissed turning back to reload, "no need to yell in my ear."

"Sorry," Will muttered, "so I'm guessing their invisibility works differently to Clara's?"

"Obviously," he snapped before something dawned on him, putting down the gun he turned his attention back to the device, "after he was injected with source blood Nigel's molecules became photosensitive which he and Clara became invisible but their clothes didn't while this device just makes the light bend around the user."

"That's great genius," Will said sardonically, "now shut up and start shooting, they have guns too except they use some kind of stunny blast and oh yeah I can't see them."

"That's what I'm trying to work on," he pointed out trying to pry open the device, "visible light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum and I happen to have magnetic powers, if I can figure out how it works I might be able to make the albinoids visible again. As long as they're invisible we're basically doomed."

"Well hurry up," Will moaned before yelping and clutching at his shoulder while his gun fell out of reach, "dammit I'm hit."

"Oh stop being such a baby," Nikola snapped with more confidence than he felt.

The sounds of guns firing stopped as the creatures must have noticed Will was hit and had stopped firing, a few guttural snarls passed between them and cautious footsteps drew closer while Nikola finally got the device open without damaging it internally.

"Any second now," Will hissed desperately.

The albinoids were so close Nikola could practically feel their breath on his neck as he frantically worked on the complex innards of the superior technology, for once he was grateful for having spent so much time studying the frustrating map.

"Nikola!" Will yelled as one snarled loudly and sound of a gun charging was heard.

He squeezed shut his eyes and focused his powers, hoping he was right he shot out a small EM pulse via the device. The sound of bodies dropping to the ground followed, he flicked back open his eyes and reluctantly let the feeling of power drain away. The albinoids were scattered unconsciously around them with the devices spitting electrical sparks out, with a mixture of surprise and pride he turned to smirk at a bemused looking Will.

"Who's a genius?" Nikola asked him rhetorically to which Will rolled his eyes.

"You can gloat later," Will said jumping to his feet and retrieving his gun, "we have to stop Adam."

Nikola reluctantly inclined his head in agreement and grabbing his gun joined Will as they pressed on through the tunnel, freezing momentarily when he heard Adam/Hyde's laughter the pair exchanged a look before bolting the rest of the way. The tunnel seemed to spiral upwards and upon reaching the top they came to an underground ridge where below you had the perfect view of the city. Nikola couldn't help but gasp in wonderment for a moment as he drank in the view, it looked exactly like the hologram he'd been staring at for months but at the same time it was so much more.

"What do we have here? If it isn't the little concubine," Hyde's voice laughed and Nikola's attention snapped to his right where the madman was standing beside the machine he'd seen earlier.

Except this time it was clearly functional.


	60. Confrontation

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to almathea and melissaadams22 for reviewing. I am trying to update as quickly as possible, this will become obsolete when the next episode airs in 2 weeks anyway, oh and I'm sorry about your Dad needing chemo, I hope it all goes well for him. Btw everyone when your done reading this update and if you haven't already seen them **go and watch the promos! **(They're on youtube)  
_

* * *

"Well I must say I am impressed Nikola," Hyde announced, completely ignoring the 2 guns now pointed squarely at him, "you succeeded where even I failed, you managed to get to Hollow Earth despite all the entrances being closed. Bravo indeed."

"We want to talk to Adam," Will demanded firmly.

"I don't think so, lad's busy," Hyde drawled, "and you might as well lower you weapons, I'm not armed."

"What 's the machine doing?" Will asked reluctantly lowering his gun as the two cautiously moved closer.

"You're not particularly smart, are you concubine?" Hyde wondered smirking, "this ingenious device is preparing to release a toxic poison which will wipe out Praxis, you two are lucky enough to witness it happening."

"Stop it!" Will yelled raising his arm again and pointed the gun menacingly at Adam's head, "stop the machine right now!"

"You want to save a bunch of savages who executed you?" Hyde questioned still unfazed as he raised an eyebrow.

"It won't end there and you know it," Nikola pointed out.

"Why do you even care?" Hyde asked curiously, "the world spurned you too- isn't it your dream to revive vampires? Who will do exactly what I'm doing anyway?"

Before either of them could react Hyde kicked out his leg, catching Will's ankle and sweeping him off his feet. The gun clattered to the ground inches from Nikola's foot, the other two dived for it and he simply kicked it. He hit it harder than intended and it slid across the ground, slid right over the edge and tumbled down where it was no use to any of them.

"Stop the machine," Nikola told him forcefully pointed the gun at Hyde as the other two stood back up eying each other specifically.

"Join me Nikola," Hyde offered, "with the technology of Praxis you'd be able to regain you vampirism in no time, revive the vampires and together we can create a new world, a better world, rid of these vermin human scum. Won't that be beautiful?"

"Stop the machine," he repeated.

"Together we can make it happen," Hyde continued, "you can have everything you've ever wanted Nikola."

"Stop the damn machine!" Will yelled angrily.

"Silence concubine, the grown ups are talking," Hyde mocked.

"You don't think I will shoot you?" Nikola asked, "I will kill you without a moment's hesitation and not even blink."

"Then you'll never know what happened to Helen," Hyde informed him and his aim wavered slightly.

"Where is she?" Nikola demanded.

"Don't listen to him," Will commanded, "he doesn't know anything, he's just stalling while that thing powers up."

"Am I?" Hyde asked rhetorically with another smirk.

"Tell me where she is," Nikola demanded again.

"What's in it for me?" Hyde replied.

"How about your life," Nikola spat, he could feel his heart racing he had to know where she was.

"Hey guys the machine is doing something," Will complained.

"I have my life anyway," Hyde pointed out ignoring Will's comment, without hesitation he fired a bullet into his shoulder, "you son of a bitch!"

"Nikola!" Will exclaimed shocked while Hyde fell to his knees, laughing.

"Good aim," Hyde complimented him.

"Next one's for your brain unless you tell me where she is!" Nikola yelled.

"She's dead," Hyde laughed hysterically, "dead, dead, dead, dead, DEAD! Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, so long Helen, we won't miss you much. You're chasing a ghost Nikola! You're chasing a ghost!"

Fuming with rage both at his mockery and his news, Nikola wanted so badly to shoot the messenger and his finger obliged before he could stop himself. Will jumped at him, grabbing for the gun and crashing into him, knocking both to the ground and causing the bullet to shoot in the wrong direction and directly into the pulsing machine. Immediately the monstrous device screeched shrilly and bolts of energy jolted violently from it, it began whirring, faster and faster and so bright none of them could while all the while Hyde's maniacal laughter echoed around them.

"Say goodbye to the city!" Hyde screamed over the noise, "say goodbye to everything!"

Nikola tried to cover his head from the blinding light and deafening noise, made worse by his still heightened senses, guilt pressed down heavily on his mind but his eye vaguely saw the invisibility device he'd dropped when he'd fallen. Forcing his mind to work he scrabbled for and clutched at it desperately, Adam's technology was doing this so maybe Adam's technology could stop it. He struggled to his feet and staggered into the machine, screeching too loudly for him to hear anything else he pulled away a panel and saw the complex insides of the machine which seemed to be basically similar to both the map and the device.

With a heavy sigh and no other option he shoved the device as far inside the machine as his arm could reach, electricity flooded his veins and he screamed inwardly at the pain but channeled it with his power nonetheless and sent an EM pulse through the machine. Almost immediately an inhuman scream boomed through his ear drums and he was thrown backwards in a fury of heat, light and electricity then there was nothing but darkness.


	61. After

**_Notes: _**_Sorry its not that great, kinda rushed it. Thanks to narutofanhinatafan, kaseykc, melissaadams22, Ty and almathea (I have seen the space promo btw, its good)  
_

* * *

The first thing he noticed was that everything hurt, his ears were still ringing from the noise of the blast which continued to echo inside his skull while smell bothered him also, the air reeked of burnt flesh and smoke. While he wanted nothing more than to lie on the ground forever he knew he shouldn't and reluctant flicked open his stinging eyes, silently missing his vampiric resistance to injury.

He was greeted by the sight of the machine, broken and scattered around him with plumes of smoke churning out from the remains. He half smiled weakly at his apparent success and glanced right where Will was lying semi-conscious, there was no sign of Adam however which disappointed him slightly. He saw Will sitting up groggily and coughing on the smoke and made an attempt to himself.

"What the hell did you do Tesla?" Will croaked, his voice unusually hoarse.

"Err..." Nikola tried to think of a witty reply but his throat was raw before he caught a glimpse of his charred arm, badly burnt from putting his arm in the machine.

"That looks painful," Will commented giving him a sympathetic look.

He tried to move it and winced at the sudden pain that shot up through it before deciding that it was better to keep it still for now, he turned his gaze back to the surroundings for any sign of Adam. He supposed it was possible that he'd been vaporized by the blast but considering he had survived at an even closer proximity he judged it more likely that he'd been thrown off the edge, or simply awoken before them and slipped away. Personally he preferred the first option, Adam's death was a long time coming and if John had just killed him right the first time then none of this would have happened. And Helen would be okay.

"Where's Adam?" Will questioned curiously.

"With any luck dead," Nikola retorted bitterly.

"At least we stopped that machine from unleashing that poison," Will muttered half to himself gazing down at the city.

"We?" Nikola repeated raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"Magnus would have been proud," the protege sighed wistfully.

"She _will_ be proud. When I find her. Alive," Nikola snapped, "you don't honestly believe he was being truthful when he told us she was dead?"

"You shot him! You had a gun to his head and you were about to kill him," Will exclaimed with a half cough, "people don't tend to lie in situations in like that."

"Lots of people would lie in that situation," Nikola protested, "he's not exactly a rational thinker."

"I would love for her to be alive," Will pointed out, "but logically... if she was alive then where is she?"

"I wish I knew," he answered tiredly feeling his eyelids closing.

"Where's Worth?" a voice demanded but he could feel himself drifting... drifitng...

* * *

"Where am I?" Nikola demanded sitting bolt upright in a panic.

"Praxis," a woman told him and he glanced to see her applying a mauve goo to his burned arm, curiously he glanced around and realized he was in a bed in what he assumed was some kind of hospital.

"What's that stuff you're putting on my arm?" he questioned concerned.

"A salve, it will heal your arm," the stranger answered as she finished and began bandaging the arm.

"Where are the others?" he inquired hoping they hadn't been executed, Helen would be so upset if the children were executed.

"They have been given rooms to sleep in," she informed him, "try and get some rest, you can see them in the morning."


	62. Day 105 Evening

_**Notes: **Just re-posting this in its correct place, read previous chapter. That's the new one_

* * *

**Day 105 Evening:**

**What a day! Normally I'd be pretty pleased by this outcome but still no sign of Helen, dammit! I'll write about it later, am not really in the mood right now.**


	63. Day 106

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to melissaadams22, narutofanhinatafan and almathea for reviewing!  
_

* * *

**Day 106:**

**I finally made it to the city. After I blew up Adam's poison machine and almost myself, the people in Praxis took us here and are letting us stay for awhile, even Gregory. It's amazing how saving some lives gets you better treatment, isn't it? The children are pretty much okay, even the protege but he was furthest from the explosion anyway, Gregory's right at home here and John is still unconscious from whatever the hell Adam did to him. Speaking of that little weasel, no sign of him. He either died in the explosion or survived and is in hiding, I have no idea which is true though and I also don't know what happened to the energy elemental but with any luck they're both dead. **

**I do have news on Helen which is both good and bad, she did make it to Praxis but she along with the children were executed. All four of their bodies went missing until I found the live children in Adam's hideout, clearly something had to have happened in those 100+ days to revive the children and probably Helen too. Logically why take four bodies and only revive 3? Of course the others disagree, I am the only one who thinks logically about these things, seriously why does everyone think she has to be dead just because a lunatic said so?  
**


	64. Day 109

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to melissaadams22 and narutofanhinatafan for reviewing  
_

* * *

**Day 109:**

**The people living down here may be a bunch of cryptic, vampire hating weirdos but the technology they have is absolutely incredible, I finally understand why Adam was so desperate to get access to it. I've been here 3 days and I've almost forgiven them for creating such a complicated map, this is exactly the kind of advancement I want to bring to the world when I revive my race. Except better. It's hard to be accepting of this society when they had Helen executed. They at least had a memorial thing in her honor, I didn't get to go as I'm supposed to be resting as I wait for this magic goo to heal my arm but it was a nice if completely pointless gesture. Helen is alive. **

**They did do a pretty stupid thing however, I found out today that they've already killed Adam's minions. Which hinders my plan to interrogate them about Helen, I'm all for capital punishment but these people really take it too far, they could have at least waited to kill them before I talked to them. Speaking of talking John is, sort of, he just keeps babbling incoherently in his sleep and even Praxians don't know what's wrong with him. The children were hoping he'd wake up and they could teleport them back to the Sanctuary for convenience but they're just planning on leaving him here.**

**Gregory is going too, says that the city just reminds him of losing Helen and the children all want to make sure their precious Sanctuary is okay since I've been charge, its insulting they think that after all the effort I put into making it alright for Helen's return. They all think she's dead and apparently is common place for bodies to go missing after executions anyway, people in this century are incredibly stupid. I'm staying here. Partially because apparently it takes a few weeks for the purple goo to work on my arm but mostly because I am not leaving until I find Helen. I have put so much effort into getting to Hollow Earth and finding her and I am not going to just give up, I am not leaving Hollow Earth without Helen Magnus, she would never give up on me- well actually she probably would but still... I know she's down here, alive somewhere and I will not believe otherwise until I see her corpse. Am I stubborn? Yes. Am I wrong? No.  
**


	65. Day 111

**_Notes: _**_Thank you to melissaadams22, narutofanhinatafan and almathea for reviewing  
_

* * *

**Day 111:**

**The others left today, the children and Gregory I mean. Gone back to the surface and the Sanctuary, not that I'm particular sad to see them go but is quite insulting they've given up on Helen so easily. Guess it just continues confirming my theory that people are jerks, Gregory is her father for crying out loud! She practically worships him, she came all the way to Hollow Earth for him and he just gave up on her. I would expect that if it was me or Johnny but not Helen.**

**I was thinking of how to find her, if I comb through Adam's hideout there might be something on where she is if he put her somewhere and with any luck I can find a surviving albinoid to interrogate. I mean surely he wouldn't send every last one to guard the machine, that's just stupid and Adam may be a lunatic but he wasn't stupid at least. Unlike some people.  
**


	66. Day 114

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to melissaadams22 and narutofanhinatafan for reviewing. I'm sorry I couldn't finish it by the 8th melissaadams22 but the best of luck to your Dad  
_

* * *

**Day 114:**

**They gave me a proper tour of Praxis today, I haven't exactly been bedridden but I hadn't truly seen it all until today. It is incredible, not quite as magnificent as Bhalasaam was, when I first laid on eyes on it at least but it comes pretty close. Since I'm the one who saved them they have given me access to pretty much everywhere, their library especially is actually fascinating. I've been so caught up in how frustrating their map was to read that I had actually forgotten how impressive it was and the view here is amazing, better than every other city above city choked by cars and cold stone walls. **

**The only thing missing is Helen. She would have loved this place, in fact she should be standing next to me right now and marveling at this city with me, I should be telling her all that I'm writing about Praxis. She's the true hero, she deserves to see this far more than I do, but no one knows where in Earth she is. I know its not like when I've been away from her before, but I always knew where she was then and now I don't. I have to find her and for a genius I'm not doing a very good job of that, so far. I miss her, I miss her so much.  
**


	67. Day 115

**_Notes: _**_Thank you to melissaadams22 for reviewing  
_

* * *

**Day 115:**

**Do you remember how Helen and Adam were both dying? He wasn't lying about the cure, I asked about it today and they asked me how many vials I wanted. I now have one for when I find her, in case no one's cured her already but I think that is unlikely as its not that hard to get down here and why keep someone alive to watch them die anyway? Still I have it as failsafe. I keep wondering about where she is down here, the best case scenario I can think of is that she was somehow injured and some kind person is taking care of her in secret because they're afraid of being executed. If Adam or someone has hurt her then I swear they will die writhing in agony and screaming for mercy, if she is dead then whoever killed her better pray they die before I find them.  
**


	68. Day 117

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to melissaadams22 and narutofanhinatafan for reviewing  
_

* * *

**Day 117:**

**This waiting thing is really annoying, I miss instantly healing from wounds as well as vampirism in general. Every day I'm here recovering is every day when I could be looking for Helen, you can imagine my frustration. I feel like I'm letting her down by spending time here, its not like anyone is out there looking for her. Her precious team, her Sanctuaries, the man she loves and even her own father has given up on her, I'm she has and if she is still sick then she's running out of time. Her life is in my hands and I can't screw this up by wasting time on magic healing goo. I have half a mind to just leave anyway regardless of basically only having one usable arm.**

**And another thing that is bugging me is that Johnny is still in a coma, I know he's a serial killer and just plain irritating in general but he deserves better than this... and he might know something about where Helen is. He was Adam's prisoner and might know something about her, he didn't before but he might have found out she was alive after his return plus he was trying to tell me something earlier, what if that was about Helen? Idiot would rather remain in a coma than tell me anything though, typical John.  
**


	69. Day 119

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to melissaadams22 and Niko for reviewing. I am sorry for not updating yesterday, as you may had noticed the website was having difficulties and wouldn't let me log in so my apologies but it really wasn't my fault. And yes this will be done by April 15th, I know no one will care about this once we see what actually happened in the real show so as much fun as I have writing this the next chapter will most likely be the last, unless there is something terribly wrong with it. So expect an action-packed action chapter for tomorrow (as long as the website stays functional) but for now, this:  
_

* * *

**Day 119:**

**Which should I write first the good news or the bad news? I'll start with bad, Adam Worth is alive. Apparently that weaselly little cockroach survived the blast, bastard. I suppose I shouldn't really be surprised considering I survived it when I was closer but let's face it, I am special. That brings me onto the good news, that magic goo has actually worked and healed my arm, that stuff actually works and now my arm is as good as new. The skin tone is paler than before but considering how I'm literally underground I think it should turn to normal, I've said it before and I'll say it again, their advanced medicine and technology is amazing and I've healed in record time too. I think that's due to the fact I'm not entirely mortal, while I am far from a vampire again I'm not human either, like how I managed to survive for 9 days and 7 hours without food or water and then there's the whole magnetism thing. I wish I could have some wine to celebrate but can you believe they don't have any down here? Now that is a crime actually worth executing someone over.  
**

**At least Adam's continuing existence gives me something to go on, he was picked up on cameras near the edge of the city so I'm going to start from there. Why track down albinoids when the man in question is still alive and kicking? I told the praxians I'd kill him for good which I will do after I get him to tell me where Helen is or at least what he knows about what happened to her. He does know something and dammit he will talk and I will find her, I am so close I can feel it. Watch out Worth, I'm coming for you.  
**


	70. Life and Death

**_Notes: _**_Thanks to almathea and Ty for reviewing and everyone in general who has bothered to read this all. And now the thrilling conclusion:  
_

* * *

Nikola finished packing and slung the bag over his shoulder, he wasn't sure if he was coming back here as he hadn't planned anything further than actually finding Helen. Most likely he would return but in case he didn't he'd packed everything he'd brought, which wasn't a lot anyway especially since the others had taken most of the spare weapons anyway and some other stuff the city had either given him or he had borrowed. Either way the room was as empty and clean as when he'd arrived as he turned purposely for the exit only to find one of the nurses there.

"Can I help you Anu?" he asked her curiously, "my arm is fine."

"It's your friend," the brunette told him with a smile, "he's finally awake, I can take you to him if you want."

"You realize he's not actually my friend?" he pointed out seriously, "he's a renowned serial killer. We've tried to kill each other more times than I care to remember, I actually killed him myself not too long ago."

"Would you like to see him or not?" Anu questioned raising an eyebrow.

"Fine," he agreed and followed her out, he was actually pleased John was awake as he might finally find some useful information on Helen.

He followed her through the halls of the complex, in truth he had already memorized the buildings layout but his admiration for the place had yet to cease, they reached John's room where sure enough he was awake. John gave them a slight smile as he saw them enter and shifted his position so he was sitting up more.

"Well look at you old boy," John greeted him, "I almost didn't believe it when they told me you were here."

"You doubted me Johnny?" Nikola questioned with a smirk, "I'm a genius, remember?"

"I'll leave you two alone," Anu offered leaving.

"How are you feeling?" Nikola asked in a more serious tone.

"Oddly normal," John replied quietly, "why did you save my life Nikola? You were supposed to kill me."

"I _did_ kill you," Nikola pointed out, "if you wanted to stay dead then why on Earth did you decide to teleport back to Adam/Hyde?"

"Wait, what?" John asked as confusion swept across his face, "is that how I ended up back there?"

"Don't you remember?" Nikola wondered curiously.

"No," John told him, "I remember fighting with you... and you stabbed me with a sword I think... And then I was here."

"You don't remember what you were trying to tell me before then?" Nikola inquired feeling slightly frustrated that John was as useless as ever.

"No," John answered, "what was I trying to tell you?"

"I don't know," Nikola sighed, "oh well, doesn't matter. Adam will give me the answers I need."

"You're going after Adam?" John wondered, "and here I thought you were going all noble on us."

"I'm just trying to find Helen," Nikola informed him.

"She's dead," John whispered sorrowfully.

"No she's not!" Nikola yelled frustratedly, "why the hell are you all so stubborn? Why do you all think she is dead? Why are you all so quick to give up on her?"

"Because it doesn't make sense that she's alive!" John shouted back before seeming to force himself to calm, "it's sad that you honestly, truly believe that she's alive but she's not, Nikola she's just not."

"I was right about the children being alive," Nikola pointed out stubbornly, "is it really so hard for you to believe that I'm not right about Helen?"

"If you were right about Helen then you would have found her already," John retorted, "stop obsessing, mourn and move on. Go back to trying to get your powers back on your crazy vampire rule the world scheme. Helen is dead and nothing you or I or anyone can do is ever going to change that."

"The only thing sad is that the people she cares about most have given up on her," Nikola told him quietly heading angrily towards the door, "have a nice life, _Jack_."

* * *

He sighed heavily as he continued down the disused tunnel, it had been more than a day since he set off Praxis but with had had no luck on finding Adam so far. Both his old and new hideouts were deserted with no sign of anything to do with Helen or anything remotely useful for locating Adam, not even a single albinoid. He had moved onto the last place he'd been sighted and moved along from there but it had yet to pan out. He felt like he was close, closer than he'd been so far, yet at the same time was so frustratingly far away.

He sat down on a nearby rock and pulled out a bottle of water, it was very far from being as good as wine but it soothed his thirst nonetheless. He took a few mouthfuls and replaced the bottle before noticing something on the edge of his vision, for a second seeing a slight distortion in the otherwise empty tunnel.

Instantly alert he slowly drew his gun and listened for any sign of movement, he know he wouldn't see them but the albinoids had a predictable tendency to snarl just before they attacked or otherwise simply displacing a rock. He closed his eyes in an attempt to sharpen his hearing and waited patiently, sure enough he heard a snarl from behind him and without hesitation stood, turned and fired all in one fluid motion. Sure enough he saw an albinoid fell dead on the rock he'd been sitting, a perfect head shot.

"Adam, can you really afford to keep sending these things to their death?" Nikola asked of the apparent silence, disturbed by a single footstep he fired again in the direction and another one fell dead clutching at its chest, emotionless he shot it again and it stopped moving, "just once do the right thing and face me like a man, this is incredibly tedious and I am beyond tired of it!"

"And I'm tired of you stalking me," Hyde's voice snapped from somewhere but there were quite a few rocks he was obviously hiding behind one of them, "you interfere with my plans, blowing up my beautiful creation, killing my minions and now you hunt me. You should know that often the hunter becomes the hunted."

"Just give it up," Nikola retorted edging closer to the nearest rock, "you might as well tell me what you know now, it will hurt a lot less."

"You have every intention of killing me anyway," Hyde pointed out, "you're going to be the one to die. Information about what anyway?"

"Helen!" Nikola snapped, "where is she?"

"I already told you she was dead," Hyde laughed, "has losing your powers affected your ears?"

"I don't believe you," Nikola told him firmly reaching the rock.

"Then what's the point in even asking me?" Hyde questioned as Nikola looked onto the other side and saw no one, "wrong rock genius!"

Without warning Hyde jumped out from behind the next closest and fired a shot at him, Nikola leaped aside narrowly avoiding it as Hyde bolted down a side passage. Nikola chased after him, his determination becoming stronger with every stride as they came out into a larger chamber with a river of molten magma flowing alongside them. Making sure Adam wasn't close enough to the magma to fall in, Nikola pulled the trigger and the bullet caught Adam's leg and he fell hard.

"You bastard!" Hyde growled crawling in front of a spiraling column of rock and turning around to fire at him, Nikola simply shot his hand causing Adam to scream and drop the gun as he clutched at the bloody mess of his hand, "you're actually a hell of a good shot, did you know that?"

"When you've lived as long as we have you get plenty of practice," Nikola answered as Adam struggled to stand awkwardly, "well I have anyway."

"Join me Nikola," Hyde offered suddenly, "together we can take the world, you have their trust which means access to their technology which means the world is ours. Isn't that what you want? To rule the world with revived vampires? We can do that. We can have whatever future we want."

"I prefer to work alone," Nikola told him coldly, "and the only futures I want involve Helen. So where is she?"

"Why do you want to find her?" Hyde questioned, "all she's ever done is spurn and reject you, she hates vampires, she hates your plans and she hates you in general. She'll never love you, no matter how hard you try."

"I don't care," Nikola said firmly trying to ignore his comments, "now where is she?"

"I already told you, she is dead!" Hyde yelled and Nikola simply shot out his shoulder again, "son of a bitch! That was just healing nicely."

"Wrong answer," Nikola informed him, "try again."

"What part of 'dead' don't you understand?" Hyde screamed and Nikola shot his kneecap causing him to fall to his knees yelping in pain.

"When you run out of limbs I'll just find another way to torture you," Nikola told him, "I know a lot about electricity, I know how long and what voltages to shock you with to keep you alive and in agony for the rest of your miserable life."

"And I'm the monster?" Hyde asked rhetorically to which Nikola simply clicked the gun.

"She's dead Nikola!" Adam cried in his normal voice, "he's not lying, she died."

"I don't believe you," Nikola snapped threateningly.

"She was alive, we saved her along with the others," Adam babbled desperately, "but her physiology was altered by the source blood so testing a cure on her would be useless, like the HAP boy but HAPs are rare so I kept him for future reference. I said that we should keep Helen alive and He wanted her to die so He suggested that... that we keep her captive and let the sickness kill her. I cured us but not her, we kept her alive. For awhile."

"Don't tell him Adam," Hyde snapped, "he's going to kill us anyway, might as well not give him what he wants."

"Shut up," Adam retorted, "for once be silent! Sorry Nikola... so that's what we did, it was perfect because she deserved to die slowly for killing my daughter, for killing Imogene and... He wanted her to live to see the her precious world die, it was just what she deserved... but then she did die, ahead of schedule... she died about a month ago Nikola, she died... she's... she's gone Nikola, she's gone. The sickness took her."

"If that's true then where's her body?" Nikola asked in a whisper, terrified that Adam seemed to be telling the truth.

"There is no body," Adam answered tiredly, "He had the minions dispose of her body... they threw it into... into the magma, the river of magma behind me. It's where the dead always go and then the bodies burn... melt away... she is gone Nikola... I'm sorry... I'm sorry."

"Idiot," Hyde muttered, "Adam, you're the stupidest genius I know. Now he's going to kill us."

"At least I'll see my daughter again," Adam whispered, "my precious Imogene."

"But we had such wonderful plans," Hyde complained as Nikola stopped listening, his arm dropped to his side as his devastation sunk in.

His gaze was drawn to the river of magma, where Helen... might... be. It was the first time someone had told him she was dead in a way that was actually believable, the news was staggering and his focus on the gun and Adam/Hyde was lost momentarily as he struggled to deal with the bombshell of information. A momentary lapse was good enough for Adam who snatched the gun from Nikola's hand before his mind could process what was happening, he was on the ground with his gun pointed squarely for his head.

"Love is an irrational self destructive impulse, unrequited love is just sad Nikola," Hyde told him firmly despite how unsteady he was on his feet, "I expected better from you. Helen's dead. Get over it."

"Let's just go before we bleed to death," Adam pleaded weakly.

"Shut up Adam!" Hyde yelled before smirking, "if you see that bitch Helen in the afterlife, tell her I say die."

With that he went to pull the trigger and for half a second Nikola thought he was going to die but the bullet never came, instead Hyde simply stood there with a determined look on his face as the gun shook in his hand.

"What are you doing Adam?" Hyde demanded, "we need to kill him."

"I don't want to be part of this anymore," Adam said tearfully, "I wanted to avenge Imogene and Helen and James are both dead now. She's avenged and I don't want to help you anymore, you're just a violent maniac. I wanted to be remembered for doing something incredible, not for simply killing a whole bunch of people. What would my daughter think of me?"

"She would think 'pull the bloody trigger!'" Hyde yelled.

Seizing his chance now his mind seemed to be working again, Nikola launched a kick which caught Adam's injured knee causing him to fall yet again clutching at it in agony while the gun fell to one side. Both grabbed for it at the same time, both reached it at the same time and held onto it tightly for dear life as they grappled for it desperately. Adam had the better position but obviously being injured and losing blood rapidly damaged his chances intensely.

"Helen's dead Nikola," Hyde taunted in an obvious intent to distract him, "you failed to save her life, you didn't try hard enough, you failed her Nikola, you failed her worse than Adam did for saving his daughter."

"Shut up!" Adam screamed.

"Nobody likes a failure Nikola," Hyde continued seeming to have more control than Adam did, "no wonder Helen didn't love you, she despised you, everybody did. You're going to die for a woman who never even liked you, how does that feel?"

Fury blazed through him and Nikola let go of the gun to slam his fist into Adam's face, the gun fired and Nikola felt a bullet shoot through him but ignored it and simply struck Adam furiously again and again, pummeling the man as all his frustration, rage and new found grief over Helen burst. He stopped and panting snatched the gun from Adam and stood triumphantly over him, shaking badly as blood spilled from his wound.

"It feels like crap," Nikola answered breathlessly, "Adam you were alright... ish and Hyde... say die, you sonofabitch."

The gun was aimed directly at Adam's head and in a single second the bullet flashed from the barrel and into his skull, in a single instant he had done what the other members of the Five had failed to do before him, he had killed Adam Worth. Nikola glanced at the corpse, now missing the back of its head but the face was intact with Adam's eyes still staring sightlessly ahead and an unusual smile on his lips. He wasn't sure if it was Hyde or Adam who had been in control in the end but he didn't care.

Instead he staggered towards the river of magma, the last place she'd ever been and stared at is as tears flooded from his eyes for the first time in more than a century, grief flooded through him as finally accepted that the only woman he had ever truly loved was dead. Nothing else in the world seemed to matter, she was gone and nothing could bring her back now. The pain was incredible as he felt his hardened heart shattering into sharp shards that dug into his insides and sent ripples of agony throughout his body, the sense of loss he felt was enough to make him collapse on the ground and he had no desire to move.

He didn't think it was fair, after all they had been through in the 100+ years they'd known each other. They'd been through so much together, both good and bad and he just wanted her back, he wanted her back so badly. He just wanted to see her one last time, see her beautiful eyes one last time and her dazzling smile that never stopped making his heart skip a beat in all the decades he had known her. She didn't have to like him, he just wanted her to be there, standing right in front of him. Alive.

"I'm sorry Helen," he cried through his sobs as he struggled to his knees, "don't be dead Helen, please don't be dead. I love you, you hear me? I love you! Don't be dead! Don't do this to me, please! I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I took care of your Sanctuary, I made everything okay for you even John is okay. I saved John to make you happy, don't be dead. I love you Helen, don't be dead. I need you too much, more than you know. I just need you to be alive. Don't be dead, please I love you don't be dead. Don't be dead Helen. Helen! HELEN!"

He screamed her name so loudly his throat hurt, he didn't care and simply broke down in sobs.

"HELEN!" he screamed again, "HELEN!"

"Helen not hear you," a voice announced.

Jolted from his haze of grief he turned to face the person with his gun pointed ready to kill them for daring to disturb him at such a private moment, the shock of who he saw stopped him from pulling the trigger however. It was an albinoid who had spoken, it looked exactly like all the other ones save it had a rucksack strung around its back but it was just standing there nonthreatening. There wasn't a hint of a snarl on its face, it wasn't preparing to attack, it was just standing there watching him expressionlessly.

"Have I lost so much blood that I'm hallucinating already?" Nikola asked frowning and blinking a few times.

"No," the albinoid answered.

"Well go away then," Nikola snapped, "before I kill you like the rest of your mad murdering brethren!"

"You... are hurt," it pointed out in its unusual disjointed accent, "let me help."

"Go away," he told it more firmly before blood loss got the better of him and his body went limp.

To Nikola's immense surprise, the thing approached him and put down the bag before retrieving a metallic thing which looked vaguely familiar, he recalled seeing it amongst the medical supplies in Praxis. Without speaking it ripped away some of his shirt surrounding the gunshot before placing the device over the wound tract.

"Slight pinch coming," the albinoid said before pressing a button on the device, a slight pain radiated from his injury for a moment and then it stopped and the albinoid replaced the device in the bag, "done."

"What?" Nikola questioned running his hand over his chest and finding the wound was healed.

"I save...ed you," the albinoid told him with a shrug, "I hear...d Adam saying Nikola. Your name?"

"Yes," he answered curiously sitting up cautiously but still silently wishing it would just go away and leave him to cry in peace.

"Nikola Tes...ela, of the Fi...ev?" the albinoid questioned to which Nikola nodded, "help me."

"With all due respect I kind of want to be alone right now," Nikola told it firmly, "so.. shoo."

"Plea...s," it begged, "for Helen."

"Helen is dead," he snapped.

"No," it announced standing up and throwing the rucksack back over its shoulder, "come."

"No thanks," Nikola muttered.

"Come," it repeated, "I will show you."

"Fine," he agreed reluctantly, he wasn't one to trust them but it had saved his life and it seemed to know something about Helen, at the very least maybe he could get it to leave him alone.

The followed it, miserably trudging behind it as it led him down the magma river before coming to a dead end where the river went on but the path was blocked by a wall of rock. He was about to complain at the creature before it reached out and touched a certain section of the rock which wavered into a doorway, akin to Adam's hideout but much more primitive looking as the door silently opened. After a moment of hesitation he followed the albinoid inside. He was glad he did.

The cavern inside was small but opposite to him as a woman lying on a makeshift bed and bundled in blankets, it was Helen. His jaw literally dropped and for a moment he thought he had truly lost his mind, he pinched himself and waited a moment but she was still there unconscious but breathing. He ran to her side and fell to his knees, reaching out to gently caress her face and run his hand through her hair. He swallowed the lump in his throat and smiled weakly at her, she still didn't open her eyes but she was definitely alive despite looking paler and thinner than he remembered her, it was still his Helen.

"She is alive," he whispered tearfully, "I was right all along. Helen? What's wrong with her?"

"Sickness," the albinoid told him sounding worried, "Adam use...ed last of the cure, I...ve been try...eh...ing to fin...ed more but hard. Help, plea...s."

"Do you have a syringe?" he asked taking the cure out of his pocket as the albinoid handed him one, hurriedly he put the mixture into the syringe and reached for Helen's arm and half smiled as it reminded him of injecting the source blood at Oxford all those years ago, "we've come this far Helen, don't die on me now."

He put the needle into her arm and pressed down on the plunger, hoping it would work, he needed it to work. Nothing happened and he gripped her hand tightly, willing it to work and for what felt like an age it didn't until her eyelids began flickering.

"Helen?" he called her name desperately and her eyes opened once more, he couldn't stop the smile from forming on his face.

"Nikola?" she replied sitting up and he hastily let go of her hand.

"Its me," he answered still unable to stop smiling at the sound of her voice as she looking him worriedly and stood up.

"I don't know how you got here but right now it doesn't matter," she told him quickly, "Adam is planning on unleashing a toxic posion into the air and kill-"

"Adam's dead," Nikola interrupted, "I killed him. And his plan is stopped, I blew up his machine."

"What?" she questioned raising a bemused eyebrow, "where are the others?"

"Back at the Sanctuary," he answered still digesting the fact she was in front of him alive and relatively well, "except John, he's still in Praxis recovering."

"Is he the one who told you I was alive?" she asked curiously and he couldn't stop himself from pulling her tightly into a hug, he didn't care that it was probably inappropriate, she was alive, "Nikola-"

"Everyone thinks you're dead," he told her fighting of uncharacteristic tears, "everyone keeps telling me that you died, Big Guy, the talking heads, the children, Praxis, John, Hyde, Adam... I almost believed it myself. I thought you were dead Helen, I'm sorry."

"It's okay Nikola," she told him hugging him back, "I'm alive."

"Helen I..." he began pulling away from and looking down into her eyes, in the perfect world he'd have the courage to finish that sentence again and then they'd kiss just like in his dreams but it wasn't the perfect world and he'd been on too much of an emotional roller coaster ride to risk rejection, "I'm so glad you're alive."

"Thank you," she offered with her heart stopping smile, "for not giving up on me. I owe you and Xavi my life."

"What are friends for?" he asked returning her smile before it dawned on him what she'd said, "wait, who's Xavi?"

"I am," the albinoid announced and he blinked slightly having almost completely forgotten it was there.

"He's the one who helped me fake my death to escape from Adam," she informed him, "Thank you Xavi."

"Than...k you," Xavi replied with what looked like a smile.

"Well done," Helen congratulated him, "your English is really coming along."

"I practiced," Xavi told her, "have to be good speaking to be on the surface."

"He's coming back with us?" Nikola guessed.

"Of course," Helen answered firmly, "he is more than welcome at my Sanctuary. I hope that is still standing by the way?"

"I took care of it," he told her honestly, "me and Big Guy did a good job, you really need to fire all those talking heads though, they are very, very annoying."

"The talking what?" Helen laughed before sobering, "Nikola I... never mind. Now you must tell me everything that's happened, is my father okay?"

"Yes he's fine," Nikola sighed, "come on, I'll take you to Praxis, fill you in on everything on the way and then I'll give you a tour so you can see how amazing it is when not in map form."

"Won't they not kill us?" Xavi questioned looking worried.

"No, they're slightly less for executing outlander since I saver their lives and all," Nikola announced brightly putting his arm around Helen and leading her outside with Xavi in tow, "just wait till you see it, Helen you will love it. Both of you will, they don't have wine and they can be cryptic as hell, probably why your dear old Daddy got along so well with them but apart from not having wine, its great."

"They don't have wine?" Helen scoffed, "I'm surprised you went there at all."

"What is wine?" Xavi asked quietly.

"When we get back to the Sanctuary I will show you," Nikola offered, "speaking of which you needn't worry about it, me and Big Guy took good care of it..."

He was only half listening to what he was saying, his joy at Helen being alive made it hard to focus on his own words but he didn't really care. He had found her, alive just like he had set out to do and at the end of the day, that was all that mattered.


End file.
